


Be My Bodyguard

by danke_rose



Series: Bodyguard [1]
Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Assassins, Bodyguard, F/M, Piotr has a minor role, Raven and Irene have a minor role, characters may be OOC as this is an AU, no one dies, the horses don't die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:22:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 40,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22236289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danke_rose/pseuds/danke_rose
Summary: Sixteen year old Princess Illyana is asked to attend her brother Piotr's wedding in Genosha to Princess Nereel from the Savage Land.  Unfortunately, someone wants the young princess dead, and no one knows why.  Piotr hires a pair of somewhat questionable mercenaries to be her bodyguards as she crosses Europe and the sea to join her brother and witness his marriage.Kitty and Kurt are the mercenaries, who have never met before.  Together they must take Illyana safely from her home in a secret location in Bavaria, to Genosha and back.  Along the way, mysteries are solved and two loners discover it's not so terrible to have a partner after all.
Relationships: Kitty Pryde/Kurt Wagner
Series: Bodyguard [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2162610
Comments: 32
Kudos: 6





	1. An Unexpected Visitor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NiuNiu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiuNiu/gifts).



> This is an AU suggested by NiuNiu  
> This story pretty much wrote itself, decided who the villain would be, and everything. The only thing it wouldn't write was the darned ending, which is the one thing that ever plagues me in my stories. I expected this to take a long time, but it seemed to fly onto the paper. 
> 
> The horses do not die.  
> No one dies.  
> Sorry if that's a spoiler, but I don't want anyone to be upset thinking people/animals are dead. I like happy endings.

“Your brother will be here soon.”

Illyana looked up from reading in front of the fire to her aunt's slightly upturned face. She appeared to be studying something in the distance, but Illyana knew she wasn't. Aunt Irene was blind, but she frequently had visions of the future.

“Today? Or is he coming for my birthday?”

“Perhaps today, but perhaps not. And no, not for your birthday,” Irene said. Illyana rose gracefully to her feet and went to the window, unable to keep from looking out, just in case. Snow covered the ground in front of their small cottage in the Bavarian Alps. The cottage sat high on the face of a mountain, overlooking a little town below. Behind them, the Alps rose even higher.

“That's good,” Illyana said, “since it's not for another seven months.”

Raven entered from the kitchen with a tray of tea and snacks. Illyana abandoned the window and settled at the low table near her aunts to eat.

“Who is coming, darling?” Raven asked as she handed Illyana and Irene their tea.

“Piotr. Aunt Irene says he will be here soon, but she won't say why.” Illyana frowned. “It's been so long since I've seen him. I wonder if he remembers what I look like.” Illyana sipped her tea, eyes downcast as she thought about the last time Piotr had been to the mountain to see her. Over a year at least, perhaps longer.

“I know,” Raven said, patting Illyana's hand. “Ever since he learned about...It's safest if he doesn't visit often. You know that.”

“Yes. Stupid assassins. Stupid safety. I can take care of myself.” She pouted, crossing her arms defiantly.

Raven ignored her and touched Irene's hand. “Your vision didn't say why he is coming?”

“No. But I feel it is something good for our young princess. At the very least, it will be good for her to see her brother again.”

Raven agreed. “Maybe he has good news. Maybe the killer has been apprehended. Too long that shadow has kept you from your family, child.”

“You're my family, too,” Illyana said, her grumpiness evaporating as she came around to hug them. “And I love you both.”

  
  


Illyana was asleep when Piotr arrived. Night had fallen over the mountain, hiding his approach from most prying eyes. Upstairs, Raven watched from the bedroom window as the three horses and riders moved slowly up the south side of their land.

“He is here,” Irene said from her chair in the corner. “It's good our girl is already asleep.”

“Yes. I'd like to know the real reason for his visit before he has a chance to couch the truth in pretty promises and tall tales,” Raven said. She pulled on a robe.

“She's learning to recognize his lies,” Irene said. “You've taught her well, darling.”

“There is much more I would like to teach her if she would listen. She thinks she can protect herself but she isn't ready.”

“I fear for her safety, too. But come, Piotr is waiting.”

  
  


Piotr and his two traveling companions approached the cottage quietly, stomping their boots clean of snow at the door. When the door opened, Piotr stepped into the arms of his aunts, lifting both of them easily and kissing their heads.

“It is good to see you again, Raven, and you Irene. How is my little Snowflake?” Piotr said.

“Growing up. Who are your friends?” Raven said, eyeing the two other men. “They are not your usual bodyguards.”

“I left them behind. These are two of my soldiers, Guthrie and Drake. They can be trusted.”

Irene nodded slightly, and put out her hand for Piotr's. He reached for her and kissed her hand. “I have come with good news,” Piotr said.

“We wondered about the purpose of your visit,” Irene said. “It is not about Illyana.”

“Not entirely. I am to be married soon, and Illyana must attend.”

“Married? To whom? When?” Raven said, leaning forward. “And why must she attend? That can't be safe for her to be a target like that, at such a public ceremony.”

Piotr waited for Raven's stream of questions to end before he replied. “I am to be married to Nereel of the Savage Land, as soon as Illyana and I can be present in Genosha. She must attend because I am abdicating the throne to her.”

It was silent in the little room as Piotr's surrogate aunts took in the news. The only sound was Drake making ice crystals in his hands and stacking them on the table like blocks.

“You wish your sister to take your place?” Raven said at last.

“I do. When I marry Nereel, I will rule by her side in the Savage Land instead.”

“You know it isn't safe for Illyana to travel, much less be on display like this.”

“She _must_ be in attendance. I must abdicate the throne to her in public, and she must accept in public.” Piotr began to look distraught. “We are to be married in Genosha, neutral territory. It is a good match, and we will unite two powerful lands. I will take Illyana with me when I leave, and I will protect her myself.”

Irene began shaking her head. “No, my dear Piotr, that is not wise. If you travel together, you are both more at risk.”

“I agree,” said Guthrie. The woman's voice cut through the silence, drawing the attention of everyone in the room, even Drake, who hadn't stopped playing with his ice crystals.

Piotr turned to Guthrie. “Even with you and Drake at our sides?”

“If we are attacked, they could kill you and Illyana both, leaving Russia without a ruler and the Savage Land scrambling. It is wiser to send her separately,” Guthrie said.

“I agree with Guthrie,” Drake said without looking up.

“But who will take her? She cannot go alone. She would be killed.” Piotr stood up and paced, his handsome face a scowl as he tried to think of a way to safely bring his little sister to Genosha. “I should have brought more guards with me,” he lamented.

“I told you. Too many travelers draws suspicion. You don't listen,” Drake complained. Piotr frowned, but he didn't argue.

“Leave us here, and we will bring her to you,” Guthrie said.

“No!” Piotr snapped. “No, I must have trustworthy guards of my own.”

“Can you not hire someone?” Raven said, avoiding the knowing look on Irene's face. “Perhaps there are professionals nearby who could assist you.”

Piotr considered this, shifting back and forth in the small kitchen. There was no room to pace with so many people crowded inside, and his own frame so large. “Do you think it _wise_ to trust strangers?”

“I know of someone,” Raven said carefully. “He may be willing to assist you. He's trustworthy and loyal, and his ruthless reputation precedes him. You might consider him for the job.”

“You must have more than one bodyguard for her, Piotr.” Irene tilted her head in his direction. “I have heard tales of a mercenary who is like a ghost. She cannot be caught. Perhaps she, too, could be persuaded. It does not befit a princess to travel alone with a man, even one Raven and I trust.”

“How do I find them?” Piotr said, sitting down again with a sigh. “I wish to speak to them before I trust them with my Snowflake's life.”

“It can be arranged,” Raven said. “But not tonight. Let us all retire and you can surprise Illyana in the morning.”

Piotr agreed, and his guards sheltered the horses in the stable and then took up watch at the two doors of the cottage.

  
  


“You have wanted a reason to contact him,” Irene said when she and Raven were alone again. It was a delicate subject at the best of times, and Irene knew when to walk away. Raven's feelings about her past were tangled and best left alone.

“Yes,” Raven said, smoothing the sheet. “What about _her_? She is the one you've mentioned, isn't she?”

“I've seen her a few times in my visions, and met her once. I know how to find her.”

“Good. Illyana will be safe.” Raven climbed into bed, and in a voice shaking with emotion, said, “Do you think...”

Irene clasped Raven's hand firmly. “He will come when you ask him. Have no fear of that, my dearest.”

“Only because he doesn't know.”

“Perhaps it is time to consider telling him.”

“No. No, he would hate me.”

“I would not be so certain of that, my dear. He has grown into a good man. Not the man you would have raised, but a good man.”

Raven tipped sideways and buried her face in Irene's shoulder.

“Not yet, then,” Irene said, smoothing Raven's hair. “Someday it will be the right time. I know it pains you, but you did the right thing. He would be dead if you had not left him behind.”

“I know, I _know_. But...” Raven let Irene comfort her, with gentle arms and the steady beating of her heart. “How can you love me after all I've done?”

“Because you are my destiny. Let us not think of the past any longer. We have raised our beautiful princess and now we will place her in the care and keeping of two others we can trust to keep her safe where we cannot.”

“You're right,” Raven said. She stretched out under the covers and Irene curled up beside her. Softly, she added, “I could not have lived through those days without you.”

“You could have. You're strong. But I'm glad you didn't have to. Good night, my love.”

“Good night my love.”

  
  



	2. A Tentative Partnership

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piotr visits his sister in her mountain hideaway and hires two strangers to escort her safely to Genosha for his wedding.

Illyana's peals of joy could have woken stones from their slumber the following morning. She was inseparable from Piotr the whole day, ecstatic to hear he was getting married.

“You will be a queen, Snowflake,” Piotr explained. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, Piotr. I will be a queen and you will be a king and our nations will work together to benefit each other.”

“Yes, they will.” Piotr held Illyana's hand while he explained what was going to happen. “But first, we must journey separately to Genosha. I cannot go with you, little one, for the safety of both of us.”

“I understand, Piotr. Because of the assassin.”

A shadow passed over Piotr's face at the word. “Yes,” he said solemnly. “Your aunts and I are making sure you will have safe passage to Genosha for the wedding, and home again after.”

By mid-afternoon the following day, Piotr had become restless. “When will these so-called mercenaries arrive?” he asked Raven as he paced in front of the cottage.

Raven sat on a bench with her feet tucked beneath her, sipping hot chocolate. From there, she could see a full half of the mountain, including the trail most people used to reach them, infrequently though it was. More often, it was used by Raven and Irene on their trips to the village for supplies.

“Give them time to travel. We are not easy to reach on our mountain, Piotr.”

“I know, but I am eager to make the return trip.”

“You should enjoy your time here. Spend it with your sister who misses you terribly,” Irene said, joining them. The front door swung shut as Illyana came out, too.

“Are you in a hurry, Piotr?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Only a little. I am concerned for Nereel. She...” he strode away, facing down the mountain. “She is pregnant.”

“Piotr, I'll be an aunt!” Illyana gasped, then ran to hug her brother. He lifted her up and smiled as she squealed. “I'm so happy!”

“I was afraid you would be ashamed of me, my little Snowflake.”

“Never. You obviously love her, and she is the luckiest woman in the world to have you.”

  
  


The following morning, Irene was restless during breakfast.

“It isn't a vision,” she said. “But I feel...one of our friends is near.” There was a knock at the door before she finished her sentence.

Guthrie and Drake had drawn their weapons before the first echoes died out. Illyana went upstairs with Piotr and Guthrie while Raven and Drake answered the door. Irene wasn't concerned, and remained in her seat by the fire.

Raven was an retired assassin who'd given it up after the tragedy in her youth that necessitated giving up her baby. Now, she and Irene lived a peaceful life in the mountains, doing odd jobs. She could defend herself. This guest, however, was not someone she needed physical defense against.

At the second knock, Raven opened the door. Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed it, stepped back, and hoped it didn't show on her face. It was him. He had come, just as Irene said he would.

“ _Hallo_ , Raven, Irene,” he said pleasantly. “I believe you requested my services?”

Drake stepped forward from the shadows. “You're The Nightcrawler,” he said, voice tinged with awe.

“ _Ja_ , but it's just Nightcrawler.” He turned back to Raven, who still stood with her hand on the knob. “May I come in?”

“Yes, yes, of course, how rude of me. Come in. This is Drake, he represents your potential employer.”

Nightcrawler held out his hand to shake, but Drake kept his distance, ice knives still at the ready. With a dramatic sigh, Nightcrawler dropped his hand. “You can put those away. I'm not here to kill anyone. That's not how I make my living.”

“But all the reports—”

“Are mostly fabricated.”

“They said you killed a hundred people at the border of Poland.”

“Yes, I heard that rumor. Unfortunately, I wasn't anywhere near Poland when it happened.”

Nightcrawler declined the chair Raven offered, going instead to greet Irene. He bowed low, then took her hand and kissed it. “Lovely to see you again, Irene. I hope you're doing well.”

Drake watched him closely, taking note of the twin swords on his back. He was dressed in thick black pants and a heavy coat which could hide any number of other weapons. When he removed his mittens to greet Irene, Drake noted he had only three fingers on each hand. Had he lost the others in battle?

Irene smiled warmly at his old-fashioned gesture. “I am well, Kurt, thank you.” Irene held his hand, patting it affectionately. “It's been a long time. We've missed you.”

“Kurt?” Drake said, lowering his ice knives as he interrupted. “Your name is Kurt?”

“ _Ja_ , don't we all have names? Nightcrawler is what I use when I'm working. Here, among those who know me, I am simply Kurt Wagner, former circus acrobat and charming rogue.”

Heavy steps drew their attention to the hall.

Irene tipped her head. “That will be Piotr.”

“Of the Rasputins?” Kurt said. “ _He's_ my potential employer? The Prince of Russia? Really, ladies, you could have told me.”

“ _Da_ ,” said Piotr before Raven or Irene could reply. He stepped around the corner and announced, “I am Prince Piotr Rasputin, heir to the throne of Russia. I wish to speak to you about an extremely important job.”

Kurt held out his hands. “And I am here to inquire about one. What do you wish to know?”

He and Piotr talked, while Raven and Irene sat by, listening curiously. At last Piotr seemed to have made up his mind. He called up the stairs to Guthrie. “Please bring my Snowflake down.”

Moments later, Nightcrawler found himself facing the prince and princess of Russia. The princess seemed bored and annoyed, and returned his greeting with a perfunctory smile when he bowed.

“Snowflake, this is Nightcrawler, and he will escort you to Genosha.”

She seemed more interested in her brother's methods than in Nightcrawler himself. “You should have let me interview him,” she said, scowling at her brother. “It's I who must travel with him.”

“Do you think me incompetent?” Piotr said.

“No, but it would've been nice to be included. What if he turns out to be some kind of...” she flicked her eyes from Nightcrawler to her brother before continuing, “womanizer or fiend or something?” She hissed, “What if he's the assassin?”

“If he was the assassin, we would both be dead,” Piotr said blandly. He shifted in his seat and looked at Nightcrawler. “Are you a womanizer or a fiend?”

“Not to my knowledge.” Nightcrawler was used to skepticism. Even in a world that tolerated mutants, ones with physical mutations as surprising as his were still treated with a measure of distrust and distaste.

“Right then. See?” Piotr said. “Besides, your aunts know him. If they say he is to be trusted, I believe them.”

“I want to help you interview the next one,” Illyana said, fixing her brother with a steady look that eventually had him giving in. She smiled at her success.

Piotr held out his hand to Nightcrawler. “If you would formally accept, the job is yours. Assuming you still want it,” he tipped his head at his sister, who huffed in annoyance.

“I do, and I accept, formally.” He bowed once more, tail swooping behind in an arc as he did so.

“Excellent. Now, Illyana, when the second guard arrives, you may be present while I interview her. But you must remain silent and allow me to ask the questions.”

Kurt's whole body snapped upright. He looked from Raven to Irene and back. “Her? You don't mean you've contacted _her_ , have you?”

“We have,” Irene said.

“Are you sure that's a good idea? She's temperamental and unpredictable and—”

“Of course it's a good idea. She's surrounded by rumors just as you are,” Irene said, folding her hands primly in her lap. “And those rumors make her effective and keep her safe.”

“Irene trusts her, Kurt. Therefore, I trust her.” Raven crossed her arms, and Kurt shrugged.

“All right. I suppose I'll have to wait and meet her myself.” If they had contacted who they said they had, he wasn't sure he wanted the job anymore. The rumors about her were worse than his own, and to his knowledge, she never denied any of them.

Raven invited him to make himself comfortable in the living room, and served hot drinks. Kurt, Piotr, and his guards made small talk while Illyana listened, watching Nightcrawler closely. He hoped it wouldn't take her long to arrive. Normally he felt at ease with Raven and Irene, but today, at their home, he felt...cornered. He wanted to leave, as if the house were suffocating him.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. She arrived just after lunch. Drake and Guthrie escorted her into the living room where Piotr waited with Kurt.

“You are Shadowcat?” Piotr said, smiling at her, his eyes moving over her body in a way that made Kurt uncomfortable for her. He wanted to step between the prince and this... _girl_. She couldn't be more than eighteen, shorter than Illyana by an inch, and slim as a dancer.

“The one and only.” She crossed her arms and leaned back on one hip. “And you're Prince Piotr Rasputin of Russia. And you,” she moved only her eyes, “are the long lost Princess Illyana.”

“ _Da_.” Piotr finally managed to keep his eyes on her face.

Nightcrawler observed his would-be partner, deciding if she would be an asset or liability to him on this journey. Shadowcat looked like a child. He eyed her dull clothing, brown and slightly dingy. Her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, enhancing her childish appearance, and she carried no visible weapons. He could hardly believe this was the infamous Shadowcat, whose name alone made people look over their shoulders in dark alleys and hurry home. Shadowcat, the mercenary? He almost laughed out loud. His previous misgivings now seemed entirely unfounded. This girl must be an impostor, he decided.

She sat down on the couch and leaned forward. “What's the job?”

Piotr didn't answer. Instead he asked her questions, all of which she answered. Finally he admitted that the job was to escort the princess to Genosha and back.

“Sure. I can do that,” she said.

“Can you work with him?” Piotr said, jerking his head at Nightcrawler.

Shadowcat glanced at him. “Sure.” Then her face split into a mischievous grin. “Can he work with _me_?”

Something in her tone made Kurt reconsider his newest impression of her. Perhaps underestimating her was a mistake. She locked her eyes with his, one brow raised, waiting for his answer. “Well? Can you?”

“Certainly.” He felt slightly unnerved by her steady gaze. He was used to people staring from the corners of their eyes, or gawking with mouths open, or simply turning away.

She continued inspecting him, her gaze traveling the length of his body shamelessly. “You're Nightcrawler. German.” She stood up and walked over. “Raised in a circus by a Romani family.”

“You know a lot about me,” he said, willing himself not to back away. She stood in front of him, hands on hips, head tipped up a little to meet his eyes. She was looking _directly_ into his eyes. It rattled him, and she could tell. One corner of her mouth twisted up into an amused grin.

“Part of my job.” She turned back to Piotr with a smile. “Okay, I'll do it.”

“Excellent,” Piotr said quickly. “You're hired.”

Illyana said, “It will be nice to have a woman traveling with me. I'm glad you accepted.”

Shadowcat, from where Kurt stood behind her, seemed to be measuring Illyana as she'd just done him. “Me too. Are you up for this trip? It's not gonna be easy.” Kurt watched her ponytail swing with every movement of her head.

“I can handle it,” Illyana said, chin rising defiantly.

“You're what, sixteen now?”

“How do you know that?”

“Like I said, it's my job to know things.”

“How old are you?” Illyana asked.

Kurt could almost feel Shadowcat's smile slowly creeping onto her face. “How old do you think I am?” she countered. She'd been asked this before, then, Kurt decided and he was curious about the answer.

Illyana narrowed her eyes as she considered. “You have to be older than me. Nineteen.”

Her laughter was lighter and softer than he'd expected from a woman as tough as he now believed she was, and Shadowcat replied, “Nope,” and said no more on the matter.

“Well now that business is dealt with,” said Raven, “is anyone hungry or thirsty?”

“I could use some water, if it's all right,” said Shadowcat, more politely than she'd been all afternoon.

“Do you have any animals outside that need to be stabled?” Irene said.

“No, I put Lockheed in the barn already. I hope you don't mind.”

“Of course not. You are a guest here.”

Kurt watched their interaction. They seemed to know one another, and yet, there was a distance between them. He decided they knew one another, but not well enough for either to be completely at ease.

Raven brought Kurt a glass of water along with Shadowcat's, and he nodded his thanks to her.

Piotr spoke to his soldiers before joining the rest of them in the kitchen. The cottage was too small to have a dining room, but Raven and Irene didn't need one. The kitchen table sufficed for them and Illyana, and the few guests they rarely had. Piotr set a bag on the table in front of the two newly-hired bodyguards, and addressed them.

“This is money and some travel documents. It should be more than enough to pay for any means of transportation you may require. The documents should ease the way should you encounter any trouble. You must tell no one who you are escorting. There is a price on her head high enough to tempt the wealthiest villains, and we do not know yet who seeks her death.”

He looked anxious and suddenly weary. Guthrie stepped into the kitchen and waited for Piotr to acknowledge her.

“The horses are ready.”

“Then it is time for me to depart.”

Illyana leaped up and threw her arms around him. “Already? Must you?”

“I must, Snowflake. I must leave by a different route and long before you. But I will be waiting for you in Genosha, where there will be much celebrating.”

Illyana tried to hold back her tears as Piotr waved good-bye from the front door and left. Illyana watched him and his soldiers as they rode off, taking the main path down the mountain. When she could no longer see them, she went silently to her room.

Raven sighed. “I wish he would have stayed longer. She's missed him so much.”

“She has, but she will see even less of him in the future,” Irene said.

“Because of the marriage?”

“Yes, and other circumstances beyond our control.” Irene blew on her tea. “Their lives are destined to be difficult.”

Raven sat down beside Irene and clutched her hand. “I had hoped...the future would be better for her, when we agreed to raise her.”

“We cannot always affect the future. I imagine some of the pain she might have suffered has been taken from her for our loving care. And perhaps the challenges ahead may be altered even more. For now, we must be content to know we have done all we can for them. And,” she waved her hand in the direction of the bodyguards, who had been listening intently, “we have provided her with the best protection we can.”

When the two aunts rose, Shadowcat got up too, but not to lounge in front of the fire. She headed upstairs instead.

“Where are you going?” Raven said, craning her neck to see.

“To do my job.”

Irene smiled. “I knew she would be the right one.”

Kurt stepped over, eager to defend himself. “Yes, she'll be helpful. It's good that he hired a woman. Had I gone upstairs, you two probably would have skinned me alive.”

“Jealous?” Raven said.

“What?”

“That you didn't think of it first?”

Kurt grumbled and scowled as Raven and Irene chuckled. He went to the foot of the steps and waited. Several minutes passed, and he could hear nothing from upstairs. “Shadowcat? Illyana?” he called.

There was no answer, and he started up the steps, hesitant at first, then mounting them two at a time. There weren't many rooms to look in, and all of them were empty of people. Piotr had been gone less than an hour, and already Kurt had failed so completely that not only had the princess been lost, but his partner as well.

From downstairs, Raven called up to him. “Check the roof, Kurt. She goes out there sometimes.”

The roof? He went back to the room he assumed was Illyana's, and discovered the window was indeed open. He climbed onto the windowsill and leaned out, then flung himself head over heels onto the edge of the roof.

Illyana and Shadowcat were sitting just on the other side, watching the sun set beyond the mountains.

“You should have told me,” he growled at Shadowcat, relief making him grumpy.

She rolled her eyes. To Illyana, she said, “This is gonna be a fun trip.”

Kurt folded his arms. “You said you could work with me. If you're going to sneak around and then mock me for doing my job, then perhaps we'd better hurry to catch up to the prince and tell him we quit.”

“Oh settle down,” Shadowcat said, while Illyana stifled a laugh. “Look, the sun's about to be totally gone.”

Kurt looked where she pointed as the last dot of sun dropped behind the mountain. “Princess, if you would permit me, I would like to speak privately to Shadowcat.”

“Please don't call me Princess,” she said, and went inside.

Kurt regretted his decision already. He had a cranky teenage princess who didn't want to be called Princess, and a cranky maybe-teenage assistant who wanted to make him look bad. He strode across the roof to her, ready to lecture her on what it meant to work with a partner. Shadowcat didn't move or look at him.

“Sorry you worried,” she said, and his ready argument melted under her sincerity. “I thought it would be a good idea to get to know her, and she invited me up here.” Shadowcat tipped her face up. “You can sit if you want.”

He did, though he didn't know why. They shouldn't be out here, they should be inside with their charge. “We have to work together,” he said, though the words seemed childish to him now. “It has been a long time since I did that.”

“Me too,” Shadowcat said. She reached over for his hand and took it from him when he didn't reach back. With a look of consternation, she shook it.

Kurt was dumbfounded. This woman was far more complicated than he'd first imagined. This was going to be an interesting trip.

“You're not nineteen, are you?” he said.

Her smile was mysterious. “Not telling,” she said. “It's part of my mystique.”

“I'll grant you that. I've heard about you. Your reputation is impressive.”

“As is yours. How much of it's true?” she said. The sun was gone, the roof was dark, and he knew he had the advantage now.

“Ah, well, that's part of _my_ mystique,” he said with a grin.

  
  


Back inside, Illyana was sitting between her aunts, discussing the trip. Illyana speculated about what to pack and how much was reasonable to carry.

“You must have an outfit for the wedding,” Raven said.

“Yes, I know. I have a formal dress, and my crown. But I don't know what else to pack. I don't want to be weighed down.”

“You're sure you're a princess?” Shadowcat said after hearing this, entering the room silently and startling all three women.

“Yes. But I'm a practical princess.”

“Bring whatever you think you need. Nightcrawler and I have yet to make any decisions about traveling.” She turned to him. “We might want to do that.”

By the time Illyana and her aunts were ready for bed, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat had outlined tentative travel arrangements. Horseback was the only reasonable way to get off the mountain. After that, they could hire a carriage, maybe a train, to take them through the countryside and forest to Porto, where they would book passage on a ship for the rest of the journey.

Raven offered them the use of the spare room if either wanted it, but both declined. Kurt insisted on sleeping downstairs, and Shadowcat in Illyana's room.

It had been a long time since Shadowcat had worked with anyone. Her only companion for several years had been her horse, Lockheed. He became her constant companion and friend, and a source of comfort when people disappointed her. A face flashed in her memory, and she smacked it away.

Normally she turned down jobs like this, because they weren't good money even if royalty was paying, and they were more work than they were usually worth. She preferred easier jobs, simple thievery or breaking loved ones out of dungeons and prisons. Low risk, high reward, that's what she liked.

That she'd considered it at all when Irene contacted her was something to ponder. Irene had not asked anything of her since the first time they met, many years ago, so telling her no seemed wrong. Still, she would have, but then Irene mentioned Nightcrawler. She'd heard so many rumors about the man that she was intrigued. She wanted to meet him at least, so she'd agreed to speak to the mysterious potential employer. She fully intended to turn him down, but again, things didn't go quite the way she had planned.

She thought meeting Nightcrawler would satisfy her curiosity. It only increased it. He was obviously hiding something, not surprising considering his line of work. She wasn't falling for the friendly goofball act, either. As if he hadn't known she and Illyana were on the roof. Shadowcat rolled her eyes when she thought about it. Who did he think he was fooling?


	3. A Mysterious Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No sooner has the journey begun than their lives are in danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The horses don't die.
> 
> No one dies.
> 
> Really. It's going to be fine.

The following morning, they saddled up Lockheed and two of Raven's horses. When they arrived in the village at the base of the mountain, they'd leave them with a friend of the Adlers who would return them. Illyana had packed as light as a princess ever did, but all the saddlebags were full, and her horse carried a third bag behind the princess. They started down the mountain after breakfast and a tearful good-bye, taking the lesser used back path. Illyana was subdued, speaking only if one of her bodyguards asked her a direct question. Nightcrawler rode behind her, Shadowcat in front.

The terrain was rougher here than on the main trail, and they moved slowly, even the sure-footed mountain horses. They picked their way down the path, and when at last it evened out to something resembling a road, everyone finally began to relax.

“How long do you think it will take to reach Genosha?” Illyana asked.

“It depends on the weather and who we encounter along the way,” Shadowcat replied. “We decided to take a carriage from the village to Munich, and then catch a train there.”

“It is only two day's travel to Munich,” Nightcrawler said. “From there, it's not long at all. Half a day by train to Porto.”

Illyana nodded and was quiet again. Shadowcat hoped she'd cheer up soon. Brooding teenagers weren't her area of expertise, and she had a feeling Nightcrawler wasn't used to it, either. She twisted in her saddle to glance back at Illyana, whose head hung low. She caught Nightcrawler's eye, and shrugged. He gave her a look that said, “I have no idea what to do with her.” Some tight thing inside Shadowcat shifted and came loose, and she smiled at him.

They weren't even halfway down the mountain when the horses started acting strange. They stamped and jerked, and tried to run. Shadowcat struggled to keep Lockheed under control, while Kurt reached for Illyana's reins as her horse bucked wildly.

“What's going on?” Illyana cried, clinging to her horse with fearful eyes.

Shadowcat finally calmed Lockheed, and when he settled, she could feel the ground moving. “Earthquake?”

“I doubt it,” Nightcrawler said as he spun around, searching the top of the mountain for what he hoped he wouldn't see. He could feel the rumbling now, too, and his horse reared. “Go now! _Schnell_!”

Too late. The mass of snow and rock rolled over the top of the mountain, screaming towards them faster than the horses could have run, even if the terrain had been smooth.

Shadowcat grabbed Illyana's reins and hauled the horse closer. “Get over here!” she screamed at Nightcrawler, waving frantically at him to move. He forced his horse closer. Shadowcat yelled orders at both of them. “Hold on to me! Don't let go no matter what! Hear me? No matter what!”

Illyana buried her face in Shadowcat's shoulder as the two bodyguards wrapped themselves around her, just before the snow and ice and rock overtook them, whiting everything out and deafening the sound. They pressed together, waiting out the worst of it, clinging to one another.

Nightcrawler lifted his head to look around, but he could see nothing. He felt the grip of Shadowcat's hand on his arm, possibly hard enough to bruise, and didn't dare move away from her. She had done something amazing. He didn't know what, but she had saved them, horses and all.

He had no idea how far it was to the surface, but there was no choice but to try. Still connected to the group, he teleported straight up, past what he prayed was the surface of the avalanche. In the bright light, he realized he'd overshot a bit, and with focused determination, tried again before they could fall. The group landed awkwardly on the bumpy surface where the trail had once been, horses scrambling and sliding as they tried to find purchase on the slippery ground.

They slid off the horses, and Nightcrawler hunched over, hands on his hips, panting with exertion. Shadowcat still had Illyana by the hand, but she made her way over, picking through the debris so she wouldn't tumble down the mountain.

“Are you okay?” she said, her hand darting out and back as if she wanted to offer some comfort but wasn't sure he'd accept it.

“ _Ja_ ,” he said, nodding vigorously.

Shadowcat looked around for enemies, but there was no one in sight. The mountain was now effectively a giant ice slide. They couldn't possibly take the horses without risking their safety. But neither could they take them back up the mountain. Shadowcat sat down in the snow near Nightcrawler, pulling Illyana down beside her. She wasn't used to caring about anyone, but he didn't look so good. Had Piotr hired a sick man?

“What happened?” Illyana asked, though she didn't expect an answer. It was obvious. An avalanche had happened, but she'd lived on this mountain for the majority of her life and had never seen anything like this.

Nightcrawler lifted his head at last, looking less like he was about to pass out. “I suppose the secret's out,” he said, still breathing heavily.

“I think so,” Shadowcat replied.

“What secret?” Illyana asked, still clutching Shadowcat's hand. “What are we going to do?”

“That was not a natural event,” Nightcrawler said, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Which means we've been attacked, which means whoever wants you dead has found you and means to try to kill you.”

“Oh! Aunt Raven and Aunt Irene!” Illyana didn't cry, but she looked terrified.

Much as it pained him, Nightcrawler said, “We can't worry about them. You are our concern. Your aunts will be all right.” He knew a few things about Raven's past. He had to hope, and trust, that she could keep herself and Irene safe if they were attacked.

“How are we going to get down the mountain now?” Shadowcat said, echoing Illyana's concern. “I don't know how long I can keep us all phased.”

“Is that what you did?” he said. “That explains why they call you a ghost. I agree, I don't think it's a long-term solution, either. I could teleport us, but as you saw, it does take its toll, especially with the horses.”

Shadowcat understood now. He was a teleporter, and the more he carried, the more energy it took. He couldn't be expected to take them all down the mountain. Shadowcat got to her feet, hoping to find a solution if she wandered around. Perhaps there was an area that wasn't as affected, or a way around the mountain to another path.

All three slammed their hands over their ears as an explosion farther up the mountain rent the air and the mountain rumbled once again.

“ _Verdammt_ ,” Nightcrawler said, as the horses took off running, skidding across the ice and snow and taking all their supplies with them. No matter, they had to get Illyana to safety. He grabbed the two women and teleported as far down the mountain as he could see, and then again, and a third time.

He was more winded than before, but there was no time to think about how his heart was hammering in his chest, or the way his vision swam. Shadowcat hauled him to his feet and dragged him and Illyana behind her through what was left of the village. The avalanche had destroyed half of it, and as they ran, they could feel and hear the rumbling of another behind them. They ran past roofs of what had been houses and shops, stumbling in their haste. The second avalanche roared behind them, and Shadowcat phased them again, still moving forward. They were far enough from this one that as they struggled forward, they began to rise above the new debris. There was a forest ahead, and Shadowcat headed towards it. Inside, the light diffused through the bare branches of trees, and pines shadowed them. Finally she stopped, and Nightcrawler sat down heavily, leaning against a tree. Illyana too, sat down, her entire body trembling from fear and adrenaline.

Shadowcat stayed on her feet, searching the land around them, every tree and shrub, for those who wished them dead. She wasn't convinced they were anything close to safe, but the other two needed to rest, and she needed to keep her mind occupied. Illyana was pale and still quaking when Shadowcat finally knelt in front of her.

“Illyana, look at me.” Shadowcat waited for her green eyes to focus on her. “You did very well. You listened without hesitation. That's why you're alive. We're going to get you to Genosha. It's just going to, uh, take a little longer than we expected.” Her voice sounded tight and strained, but it was steady. Kurt was impressed—she really was a professional after all.

“My aunts,” she said, her voice tight with emotion. “Are they dead?”

“I doubt it,” Nightcrawler said, still taking deep breaths while his heart rate gradually slowed.

“But how do you _know_? They're just ladies, Aunt Irene is blind, how—”

“They're more than just ladies. They are both mutants, like myself and Shadowcat. Your aunt....Aunt Raven, she has been teaching you self-defense, _ja_?”

Illyana nodded. “How did you know that?”

“She mentioned it to me. She's...er, she was...” he struggled for how to explain without sharing too much. “She has experience with that, and I am confident she will have kept herself and your Aunt Irene safe, regardless of who may have attacked them.”

“You think it was the cottage?” Shadowcat said, the rest of her meaning clear to him.

“Most likely.” Nightcrawler pushed to his feet. He knew Shadowcat was watching him, doubting him. “It's probable that whoever started the avalanche discovered the cottage too late.” He held out his hand to Shadowcat and Illyana. “And we should get moving again. That way,” he said, nodding.

“How do you know?” Shadowcat said, taking up a position behind Illyana this time. It was the second time in less than two minutes that someone had asked him that. He wished they would trust him, at least a little.

He shrugged wearily. “I simply know where I am and where things are. The village is behind us, there, and our destination is that way.”

“What's our destination?” Illyana said, tapping his elbow. “Are we still going to Munich?”

They picked their way through the woods noisily. If someone was looking for them, they'd be easy to find with the racket they were making.

“We need to find a path,” Nightcrawler said before answering. “We are still going to Munich, _ja_. There's another town ahead, though. Not too far. Perhaps fifteen miles. We've lost our supplies and our transportation and—”

Shadowcat made a strangled coughing sound, and her face was red and splotchy when he looked at her. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Coughing.”

He continued. “We need more supplies and we need a way to get to Porto.”

Without food or water, it was going to be a hell of a walk. They moved slowly, and Shadowcat watched the trees, pausing now and then to look behind them before catching up quickly. Nightcrawler stopped abruptly, holding his hand up for silence. Shadowcat was on alert, pushing Illyana down to the ground as she scanned their surroundings.

“I hear water,” he said, and she punched his arm. “ _Was_!”

“Say that first next time!” she scolded. “You big baby.”

Illyana stood up again. “You're supposed to work together,” she said. “If you don't, we'll all die.” She sniffed and pressed her hands to her eyes. Illyana was clearly walking the line between hanging in there and falling apart.

“Sorry, Nightcrawler.”

“Understandable. I should have been clear.”

They headed in the direction of the sound, and Shadowcat was relieved, and admittedly surprised, to see he was right. A brook trickled through the underbrush, narrow and twisty and full of leaves. But it was water, and it was cold and clear. She scooped some up in her hands and drank. It was sweet and so cold it almost burned.

“Oh, that's good,” she said with a sigh. “Nice job, Nightcrawler.”

After a moment's hesitation, he thanked her.

Shadowcat decided it would be better to have him as an ally along this ridiculous joke of a journey that was hours begun and already a disaster. “Are you all right now, after the teleporting?”

“Yes, I'm fine now. I don't normally get exhausted like that. But after teleporting all of us and the horses straight up, and then the three of us in multiple rapid 'ports...it's difficult. Food is helpful but...”

Shadowcat blinked rapidly and scooped up more water, splashing some on her face.

“Are you sure _you're_ all right?” he said.

“I'm completely fine. So if you teleport too much or too often, you get tired?”

“ _Ja_ , it's sort of like running too far, and then having to run farther. Not exactly easy.”

“You managed to save us all.”

“As did you. I believe that is the definition of our jobs, _hm_?”

Shadowcat gave a short huff of laughter. “True. Should we move on?”

Kurt glanced at Illyana. She was still seated beside the brook, watching the water bubble past. Crouching, he touched her hand. “Illyana? Can you go any farther?”

With resolute determination, she stood up. “Yes. At least a little farther,” she said. “I would like to reach that town.”

“I doubt we'll make it there tonight,” he said, pulling off his heavy snow boots. He had thinner boots under them, that conformed to his oddly-shaped feet. He tied the outer pair in a strip of canvas and attached them to his belt. He flexed his feet and smiled. “Much better.”

He led the way again. They still moved slower than Shadowcat would have liked, but they were rejuvenated at least somewhat by the water. And now that they'd found it, they stayed as close to the brook as possible, while still moving towards the town.

“When we get to town I'm going to order the biggest meal...” Illyana mused as they walked.

Shadowcat's stomach fell as a thought struck her hard. “Oh no.”

Nightcrawler halted. “What?”

Shadowcat looked panicked. “The money.”

“It's right here,” he said, patting a pouch on his belt. “I didn't think it wise to leave that in the saddlebags.”

Shadowcat sighed and wiped her face dramatically. “Thank god. You've just risen another degree in my estimation,” she said.

“I didn't realize there was a scale.”

“There is now,” she said, as the edge of her mouth curled into a smile. She started to say something else, but something prickled the back of her neck with unease. She turned, scanning the trees and bushes again, feeling a nervousness that ran like an electric charge along her spine. “Nightcrawler,” she said, turning back, “I think—”

An arrow pierced her arm, knocking her to her feet with a curse. She landed on her side, grabbed for Illyana, and phased her while she pulled her down. Nightcrawler stood over them, both swords drawn, daring the attackers to show their faces. Laughter came from one side of them, then the other. They were surrounded.

Kitty phased the arrow out of her arm, disregarding what she knew was best practice when dealing with such an injury. She couldn't work with an arrow sticking out of her arm. And she had to work. She stood up, keeping in contact with Illyana, and touching Nightcrawler's arm to make all of them intangible again.

“Are we going to wait for them to show themselves or what?” she whispered.

“Wait.”

The attackers fired a few more arrows that passed harmlessly through the three, and finally one of them stepped out from the trees. “What's going on here?” he said, fingering the handle of a sword. He inspected Nightcrawler's two blades with a wicked smile. “Swordsman, eh?”

“Find out.”

Two other men with swords stepped away from the trees in front of him, while another three completed the circle behind them.

“Is that all?” Nightcrawler said.

The villain laughed. “Tell you what, we'll let you off easy if you give us all that money.”

Kurt pretended to consider the offer. “I don't think so,” he said at last, irritating the man who appeared to be the leader.

“Have it your way,” the man said, and at once, the other five attacked.

Shadowcat grabbed Illyana and pulled her through the fray, stopping once to look back. They were both mesmerized for a moment, watching Nightcrawler take on six men, and beating them. She stopped running. He was going to win, it was obvious. When the last man standing dropped his sword, Nightcrawler kicked it up with one foot and caught it in his tail. He said something and the men gathered their things and scuttled off into the woods. He stabbed the third sword into the ground and resheathed his own, then jogged to catch up with Shadowcat and Illyana.

“That was amazing,” Illyana said when he was in earshot.

“ _Danke_ ,” he said, but his eyes were on Shadowcat. “Your arm.”

“Yeah, I've had worse.”

“It needs to be cleaned.”

“I know. We were kind of under attack,” she muttered, going now to the stream and peeling off the sleeve of her coat, then wiggling her arm out from under her tunic.

“I can help,” he said, kneeling beside her at the brook and helping to scoop water over the wounds. He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a small vial of alcohol.

She held her arm out and looked away, while he poured a small amount over the wound. Shadowcat gritted her teeth and hissed quietly. He gripped her arm firmly, but not hard enough to hurt, and turned it to apply alcohol to the other side. “It's the best I can do for now. When we reach the town, we should see to it properly.”

She nodded, wrangling her tunic back on and her coat. “Thanks.”

The sun had dropped low in the sky during the fight, and Shadowcat suggested they stay put for the night.

“I don't think we should continue in the dark,” she said.

“Me either,” Illyana said from where she was already seated, stretching her legs out in front of her.

He agreed. “I don't think the bandits will return.”

It was becoming more and more difficult to pick out the shapes of the trees and bushes around them, and Shadowcat squinted to see anything. “Dammit,” she muttered. “It's too dark to see anymore.”

Kurt looked around. “It's clear. I'll keep watch.”

She bristled. What a show-off. She rolled her eyes and stretched out beside Illyana. “I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty tired, too.”

“Being tired is not a sign of weakness,” Nightcrawler said as he kicked leaves and sticks aside to make a place for them all to sit.

“I never said it was.”

“My mistake.”

“And I'm _not_ weak.”

“No, you aren't. I didn't say you were. Quite the opposite.”

“Are you two fighting again?” Illyana said. “Because I'm already sick of it.”

“We aren't fighting,” they said in unison. They exchanged a glance, and both laughed. “See?” they said, again in unison.

Shadowcat folded her arms and looked up at Nightcrawler. “I guess you can probably hunt, too?”

He shook his head. “Alas, I'm afraid that is not one of my many talents.”

“See, you have insecurities, too,” Shadowcat said, shaking her finger at him.

“I do not.” He turned his back to her. “Have very many.”

She laughed. “I can't hunt either. I don't suppose you can, Illyana?”

She shook her head. “Does that mean no dinner?”

“'Fraid so,” Shadowcat said.

“So there's really nothing to eat at _all_?”

“I have a granola bar,” Shadowcat said, digging it out of a hidden pocket in her pants. She handed it to her. “Sorry it's squished.”

“I don't care. Thank you so much,” Illyana said, taking a grateful bite. “Do you want some?”

Shadowcat and Nightcrawler both shook their heads.

“Used to it,” he said.

Nightcrawler leaned back against the trunk of a tree, with Illyana beside him and Shadowcat just beyond. The sun was gone, and the forest was rapidly becoming dark. And cold. “We have a bigger problem than lack of food,” he said almost casually. “It's going to get very cold tonight.”

“Do we risk a fire?” Shadowcat said, sitting up on her elbows. It was dark enough she could barely make out where he was sitting. Illyana, in contrast, seemed almost to glow in her lighter colors. Shadowcat blinked at Nightcrawler, who seemed to be vanishing in front of her. “What the hell...are you disappearing?” She sat up and crawled forward, reaching out to see if he was there. Her hand came in contact with his knee.

“No, I'm not. I blend into shadows. I'm still here.”

“It's cold,” Illyana said.

“I suggest we sleep close together, and pile whatever leaves we can on top.”

“At least it isn't snowing,” Shadowcat said, attempting to reassure Illyana.

  
  


It started snowing in the middle of the night. Shadowcat woke shivering, and discovered she'd rolled away from Illyana. As she scooted back, she felt the snow falling between the leaves. She brushed them away, wrapping her arms around herself and tucking her knees up as close as she could. She shivered and hoped it was almost morning. Usually she had Lockheed with her to keep her warm. She swallowed the lump in her throat again, refusing to think about it.

“Cold?” came Nightcrawler's whispered voice from the other side of Illyana. She lay between them, sleeping and warmed by the two of them.

“Yes,” Shadowcat whispered back. “I'll be okay.”

A warm hand rubbed her arm, and she felt the weight of a leg drape over her ankle. “Sorry I can't do more.”

“It's okay. At least she's warm.”

They all woke early, bleary-eyed and stiff. After long drinks of water, they began walking. It hadn't snowed very much, but it was colder than the day before. They were mostly quiet, except for Nightcrawler's updates on distance. When they were within a mile of the town, everyone's spirits lifted.

“I suggest we take the rest of today and tonight to rest here,” Nightcrawler said when they entered the town. No one argued.

They found a small hotel with available rooms, and took one. They couldn't risk leaving Illyana alone, even here. It was too dangerous, as close as they were to her cottage home. Once they had a room, they went to eat. Illyana did exactly as she'd said, and ordered a huge meal, and couldn't finish it. They packed it all up and took it to the hotel room.

“We need supplies next,” Shadowcat said. “I'll go if you want. I can find a medic, while I'm out.”

“Good idea. I will stay here with Illyana,” Nightcrawler said. “Please try to find me a hat. I lost mine during the first avalanche and my ears are terribly cold.”

She looked at his ears then, long and thin, pointed at the tips. She felt an inexplicable urge to touch them. “Sure. Anything else?”

“A hairbrush,” Illyana said from the bed where she had sprawled out. “And a toothbrush and toothpaste and dry socks. And...” she burst into tears.

Both bodyguards rushed to her side, hoping she wasn't injured in some unknown way. “Illyana? Are you hurt?” Shadowcat said.

Illyana sat up and threw her arms around Shadowcat's neck, still crying. “Nooo,” she wailed. “But everything is gone and my aunts are probably dead and the horses had all our stuff and they're probably dead too.”

Shadowcat hugged Illyana, and to Nightcrawler's surprise, her eyes looked wet, too. He cocked his head at her, but she ignored him. He left the two to console each other and sat in the single chair by the window to keep watch.

When Illyana had calmed down, she started apologizing. “I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I'm not prissy, really, I just...nothing like this has ever happened to me. I never lost...I never lost...except my parents but I don't remember them. Oh, Shadowcat, if they're dead...” she began to cry again.

From the window, Nightcrawler glanced over briefly before returning his attention to the people in the street below. “As I said before, I highly doubt either of your aunts is dead. It's not for me to say, but you should trust me about this. The horses, I doubt they survived the avalanche. And that is a terrible shame, but—” He jerked his head back, surprised to see both women crying.

“Shadowcat, don't cry,” Illyana wept. “You're making me cry more.”

“Sorry,” she said and sat up. Nightcrawler watched as she pressed her hands to her eyes and took deep breaths. When she finished, she looked once more like the very young, very tough Shadowcat he'd heard about. She noticed him watching and straightened her spine. “I'll get the supplies now.”

Nightcrawler handed the bag of money to her and she took some out, tucking it into hidden pockets here and there. He followed her to the door and stood just in the frame of it. “You are not all right.” he said, and Shadowcat was surprised at how concerned he seemed.

“Yes, I am. No, well...I'll be okay. It's nothing.”

He looked like he wanted to argue but he didn't. “If it's anything you want to talk about...”

“Nope. I'll be back as soon as I can,” she said. She started to leave, paused, and added, “Thanks, though.”

Kurt watched her down the short hall until her head disappeared in the stairway. Then he closed and bolted the door.

Illyana was curled up on the bed, breathing quietly. He peeked at her face, and her eyes were closed. He went to the window again, and caught sight of Shadowcat slipping into a store across the street and down one building. He wondered what had made her cry, and weighed it against her distaste for appearing weak. He wondered if she and Irene were closer than she'd let on. Maybe Shadowcat was afraid, too, that they were dead. Kurt reasoned with himself. There was only a fifty-fifty chance they were alive. His reassurances were for the princess's sake more than anything. He couldn't have her breaking down every day. From the way things had started, this was going to be a much more difficult journey than they'd suspected even at the start.

Below the window, Shadowcat slipped across the street, moving quickly. She was sleek and stealthy, like her code name, a shadow who moved with the grace of a cat. Her youthful appearance belied maturity of older women, and she was stronger than he thought she'd be. He waited for her to emerge from the second store, growing restless as more and more time passed and he didn't see her.

A sound at the door had him on his feet with swords drawn in an instant. He crept towards the door, which rattled again. Then someone knocked. A voice on the other side said, “Hey, unlock the door.”

“Who is it?” he said, though he recognized her voice.

“It's me. It's...it's _me_.”

With his tail he unlatched the door and opened it slowly. Shadowcat pushed her way past him, scowling in irritation. “I couldn't phase in, there were people in the hall.”

“Oh.”

He replaced his swords and bolted the door again. Illyana moved on the bed but didn't wake up. Kurt took one of the bags Shadowcat handed him and she began pulling things out of the other one. “Here's your hat,” she said, handing him a thick green knit cap.

“ _Danke_ , Shadowcat.”

She sat cross-legged on the floor, sorting all the things she'd bought. Then she dug in a pocket and handed him some money. “To put with the rest.”

“You should keep it. In fact,” he pulled out the bag again and took another wad out. “you should keep half of it, in case anything happens and we're separated.”

“Oh. Yeah, good idea.” She went back to her sorting. She'd gotten all the things Illyana wanted, plus more food, matches, and a handful of other necessities. “I don't think we should use our code names in public,” she said quietly. “If they know we're guarding her...”

“I agree.”

“So, uh, _Kurt_ ,” she said, almost shyly, “I'm Katherine, but you can call me Kitty. Nice to meet you.”

He smiled at her. Katherine. Kitty. “Nice to meet you, Kitty. _Eine kleine Katze_. _Ein Kätzchen_.”

“Sorry, I don't speak German.”

“You are a kitty, a small cat. A kitten.”

Her face scrunched up and a line appeared between her brows. “That's why I never tell people my name,” she growled.

“It isn't an insult. In German, we often use animals as terms of endearment. I didn't mean to offend you.”

She huffed, looked away, and said, “It's okay. It's...never mind. It's fine.”

She handed him different items to put in the bag he was still holding, and they worked in silence for a while.

“How long has she been asleep?” Kitty asked.

Kitty. It would take him some time to get used to her name. He preferred Kätzchen.

“Since you left. We could all use a nap, I suspect.”

“Yeah. One of us should sleep now and stay up later.”

“I can take the night shift if you wish.”

“It doesn't matter to me.”

A noise from the bed made them both look up, as Illyana rolled, stretched, and yawned. “Oh good, you're back, Shadowcat.”

“Right,” Kitty said, “So we're not going to use code names for a while.”

“If the attackers saw us at your cottage, or with you, it's likely they know who we are. Most people do not know our real names, however, and it may provide us a level of secrecy.”

“And since we're on the subject, we should probably have some kind of cover story,” Kitty said.

“And Illyana should have another name,” Kurt said.

“My brother calls me Snowflake.”

“No good. Do you have a middle name?” Kitty asked.

“Nikolievna.”

Kurt shook his head. “A nickname? Anything else you'd be likely to answer to?”

“Yana? My aunt sometimes called me that.”

Kitty looked at Kurt. “That'll have to work. Now the story. Why are we all together?”

“Siblings,” Kurt suggested.

“Right,” Kitty said, and rocked back, laughing. “We look _so_ much alike.”

Kurt frowned and crossed his arms, tail tapping lightly at his calf. “All right, what then?”

Illyana's face brightened. “You're my aunt and uncle.”

Kitty blinked at Illyana and Kurt was silent. They looked at each other, then back at Illyana, who seemed to be enjoying their discomfort.

“Except she is closer to your age than mine,” Kurt said, latching on to a possible out.

“I'm not,” Kitty said.

He raised a brow. “No?”

“I'm twenty-four.”

Kurt was sure his surprise showed on his face. He had thought she couldn't possibly be more than twenty. “Really?” he said before he could stop himself.

“ _Yes_ really,” she snapped.

“Good!” Illyana said, smiling again, somewhat mischievously, Kitty thought. “You're my aunt and uncle and we're going on vacation.”

“Sure,” Kitty said, resigning herself to it. At least they had a story now, and names.


	4. A Train Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They continue their trek towards Genosha, doing their best to avoid the assassins that seem to be everywhere. Meanwhile, friendships are forming.

The march through the snowy woods the day before had worn them all out. Now that they were in a hotel, they spent the afternoon resting, napping, and eating.

Darkness descended on the small town, and Kurt stationed himself at the window. He could see the street below, and observe anyone who might enter or leave the hotel.

“Do you want the light on?” Kitty asked, crunching an apple. She tossed him one.

He caught it in one hand. “ _Danke. Nein_ , leave it off please. I don't need it, and it will only give others a better view of us.”

“So you see in the dark or something?”

“Yes.”

“What other magic tricks do you have?”

“It's not magic. Is what you do magic?”

“It feels like it sometimes.”

She lingered, resting her shoulder against the wall near the window, and Kurt wondered if she was going to say anything else. Neither of them were tired enough to sleep yet, after dozing off and on all afternoon. The light outside had long since gone, and the dim streetlights did little to illuminate their hotel room. On the bed, Illyana turned over, sighing softly in her sleep.

Kitty eased away from the wall and went to the door, settling on the floor with her ankles crossed. She could hear him shift in the chair, but the shape of him was distorted, half-invisible, and gave her a headache from trying to make him out. She closed her eyes to refocus, then watched the bed instead of Kurt.

It felt foreign to call him that, and even more so to be called by her own name after so long. She didn't allow herself to think about the last person who called her that.

“Do you think they'll find us here?” Kitty said, more to have conversation than anything else.

He made a movement, she assumed a shrug. His swords clicked.

“You ever take those off?”

“Rarely. Never, if I'm working.” Kurt leaned out the window and Kitty went utterly still. Finally he sat back down, relaxed again, and said, “Do you carry weapons of any kind?”

Tables turned, the questions were for her now. She hated people to pry into her life in any way, but he'd answered her questions, and she supposed this one was easy enough. “A few. I don't use them much.”

“Then how...your reputation is deadly assassin, deadly thief, deadly spy. You probably know that already.”

She chuckled softly, covering her mouth to avoid waking the princess. “Yours, too.”

“ _Touch_ _é_.”

“I don't make a habit of killing people, if that's what you're asking.”

“Nor do I, and yet the rumors abound.”

“I find them useful,” Kitty said, pulling her knees up to rest her elbows.

“Mm-hmm.”

Conversation stopped for a while, and her eyes grew heavy. “Nightcra—Kurt?”

“ _Ja_?”

“Do you mind if I sleep for a while?”

“Go ahead.”

She stretched out on the floor, cradling her head on her arms, and before long she was waking. Someone had put a pillow under her head in the night. It was just before dawn now, and Nightcrawler was crouched in front of her, his hand on her shoulder.

“Wake up, Shadowcat.”

“I'm awake,” she mumbled, pushing onto her elbows. “You sleep.” It took her a few moments to clear her head and sit up, but he was already settling into the space she'd occupied on the pillow in front of the door. She stretched and went to the chair to keep watch outside.

As the sun began to stream between the buildings, and Kitty's eyes adjusted, she found herself looking between the street and the man curled by the door. She'd met non-passing mutants plenty of times, but he was nothing like them. He seemed to be the remnants of every failed attempt at putting together a person, thrown into a pot, stirred, and turned out as Nightcrawler.

How did nature create a man like him? So different, and yet so appealing. She chided herself. How did nature make _any_ of them? The mutants of the world, all labeled freaks and tolerated only because they were so pathetic and sad, with their strange powers or distorted features. She told herself she was drawn to him because he was so different, and she refused to entertain any other thoughts.

She forced her attention back to the window, as people slowly began to trickle into the streets on their way to jobs and appointments in the early morning hours. No one looked in her direction. Her gaze drifted back to him in spite of herself. He was curled into a tight ball, the swords in their scabbards on his back hiding most of his form from her. He had let her sleep a long time.

She turned her back completely to the room to block out the temptation to look at him again. _Do your job, Shadowcat_.

A man entered the bookshop across the street. A woman carried an infant in her arms into the grocery store. Two children ran down the street, squealing as they raced. The sun was just above the rooftops, and the street had become busy. From the bed, Kitty heard rustling as Illyana sat up. Kitty put a finger to her lips, then pointed towards Nightcrawler at the door. Illyana yawned and padded over to Kitty at the window.

“No, best not to come close,” Kitty whispered.

“I need the bathroom,” Illyana whispered back.

Kitty looked out the window once more, then crossed her fingers and stuck her head through the door into the hallway of the hotel. There was no one there, so she pulled Illyana through and walked to the bathroom with her, going in first to take no chances. It was empty, so Kitty returned to their door to wait. A moment later, she heard scuffling from the other side, and quickly phased inside.

Nightcrawler was on his feet, his face wearing the same worried look it had the night she and Illyana had sat on the roof without telling him.

“You were asleep,” she said before he could object, and started gathering their things.

  
  


Three seconds after they entered the street, a knife _thunked_ into the corner pole of the restaurant they were heading into for breakfast.

Kitty grabbed Illyana and phased her, running for the nearest alley. Kurt was already gone, chasing down the assailant, swords flashing. Kitty and Illyana pressed flat against the building, and Kitty tried to hear over the screaming of frightened people for sounds of a battle, or clues to where the attacker was. Anything. She took Illyana down the alley, keeping her arm around her tightly, then stepped cautiously into the next street over. They dashed across, heading diagonally for another alley. From there, the woods weren't far. She hoped Kurt could find them. They lay flat on their stomachs under a cover of leaves and brush while Kitty kept watch. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she thought he should have found them by now.

She debated going to find him, but that meant leaving the princess, and she couldn't do that. Piotr should have hired more people to watch her. What was he even thinking? What kind of prince hired two mercenaries with bad reputations to see his sister safely to his wedding? She knew the answers to all her questions, but in a moment of fear and worry, she asked them anyway. More people made them more conspicuous. People he knew made them more conspicuous. Bad reputations worked in his favor, and he knew Raven and Irene, who knew them, so she and Kurt weren't entirely unknowns.

How long should they lie here? At some point they had to move. Kitty had just decided to get up when she heard the pounding of hooves coming closer. She pushed Illyana farther down, shoving more leaves over her, and phased herself into the ground. She peeked out of the leaves at the horse towering over their hiding place. Then she shot to her feet, dragging Illyana with her.

“How did you find horses? And us?” Kitty asked Nightcrawler, seated atop a large horse, holding another by the reins.

“Long story, get on quickly. We don't have much time to get a head start.”

Kitty leaped onto the second horse and Kurt pulled Illyana onto the back of his saddle. They were galloping before Illyana had time to complain about his swords in her face. When they slowed at last, she insisted on riding with Kitty.

They walked the horses for a while, and Kurt told Illyana and Kitty what happened. After they ran off, he teleported around looking for the assailant, finding no one at first. Then, by luck, he noticed a man running into an alley, and the tip of a knife glinted in the sun's light. He followed, and they fought. Kurt was able to subdue the man remarkably easily.

“He only had knives, no sword, though he tried to use one as a sword.” Kurt laughed at the stupidity of it. “The fight was over before it began. He's in jail now, but he claimed to be one of a group, which is when I purchased the horses.”

“We should have questioned him more,” Kitty lamented.

“No. Our job is to deliver Illyana safely to Genosha, not figure out the motives of her would-be assassins.”

“But wouldn't knowing their motives help us avoid them?”

“I doubt it. There could be—we don't know how many there are. Waiting would have put her in more danger. It was best to leave quickly and put as much distance between us and them as possible. With any luck, if he isn't alone, his associates will spend too much time trying to spring him from jail.”

Illyana gripped Kitty's arms. “When I lived with my aunts, I was never afraid. I thought the killers were a rumor.”

“I'm sorry to say they are not,” Nightcrawler said.

They walked and galloped alternately for several hours, resting the horses as need be. They took a circuitous route to Munich, hoping to avoid the assassins. The train station was busy when they arrived, and Kitty easily found a buyer for the two horses while Kurt and Illyana purchased tickets.

They would never blend into a crowd, not with Nightcrawler's coloring and swords, but he pulled his cap over his head and stayed in the shadows, or behind Kitty, sandwiching Illyana between them. Kitty kept her hands in theirs, ready to phase all of them at the slightest disturbance in the crowd. The station rumbled when the train pulled in, and the crowd pushed forward, eager to board. At last they made it aboard the train, and to their compartment, which Kurt and Kitty immediately searched. They pulled the shade on the window and locked the door.

“I think it's safe,” Kitty said. She sank onto the seat, letting herself relax briefly before the next step—searching the rest of the train. She just needed to know what—or rather who—to look for. Illyana curled into the corner of one seat and Kurt stood guard by the door, arms folded across his chest, feet braced slightly apart for balance should the train begin to move. He looked every bit like the imposing bodyguard. Something flickered in Kitty's stomach, but she ignored it.

“What did the guy look like?” she asked.

“Nondescript. Average. Nothing but the knives to set him apart. He wore no uniform of any kind.” Kurt noticed her attention and shifted on his feet slightly. “Everything all right?”

“Yes,” she said. “I was planning.”

“Ah. What?”

“I'm going to search the train.”

“As I said, there was nothing distinguishing about him. But if they are on board, and recognize you, it would alert them to our presence on the train.”

Kitty bit her lip. He was right.

“And we have no disguises,” he added.

She perked up. Maybe they could get one. Or make one. She grabbed the bag she'd been carrying and dug through it. She pulled out the knit cap, and pulled it on, tucking her hair into it. “Illyana, if you would, your coat please.”

Kitty put the backpack on so it hung in front of her. She pulled Illyana's coat on after flipping it inside out, so that the dark blue lining showed with a trim of brown. She buttoned it up and held out her hands. “Well?”

“You look like a pregnant woman in a cap,” Kurt said, trying to hide a smirk. “Clever, actually.”

“Is there a mirror in here?” There wasn't, so she had Illyana pull tufts of her hair out so it appeared short.

“Better?” she said, turning back to Kurt again.

“ _Ja_ , better.”

“Okay, I'm just going to walk from one end to the other, and look for anyone with weapons, particularly knives.”

“I think that's all we can do right now,” Kurt said. He opened the door for her and touched her elbow. “Be careful.”

She smiled back at him. “I will.”

  
  


Closing the door felt like a cliffhanger in a horror story. Would she be spotted? Would she be attacked? Why was he worried about her? She was Shadowcat, she was legendary. She was—he stopped, catching his train of thought, as the train they were on board began to move. He had little difficulty standing in place, but reached for a handhold anyway. In the corner of the seat, Illyana was staring at him.

“What's wrong?” he said.

“Basically everything, but I'm okay,” she said. Then she smiled at him, something he had not seen from her very much so far. “Thank you.”

He hardly knew how to respond. He was doing a job, nothing more. She had no reason to thank him. He wasn't used to it. “You're welcome.”

“Tell me what you know about my Aunt Raven,” Illyana said.

So that was the reason for the smile. Kurt clenched his jaw, trying to think of a way to tell her nothing while making her think he was telling her everything. “She knew my foster mother. They were acquaintances from another time in their lives. When the circus passed through whatever area Raven was living in, she would visit.”

“Why does she know so much self defense and why aren't you worried about her?”

With his free hand he scratched his neck, rubbing into the hair. He needed a shower. “Many people have such skills,” he began.

Illyana shook her head. “No way, I want the truth.”

He sighed, wishing he'd never said anything to her. “She used to work for a man who did some shady business dealings. She had to know how to defend herself.”

“She worked for a criminal?”

“Er, sort of?”

Illyana hung her head. “But...she's never acted like one.”

“She isn't one anymore. People can change. They take different paths in their lives.”

“Did you?”

“ _Ja_ , myself and many other people. We begin our lives thinking they will end a certain way, but life has a way of altering those plans.” He chased the itch down his shoulder until it disappeared along his spine where he couldn't quite reach. He snaked his tail under the swords to reach it.

The door clicked, and Kurt was grateful for the interruption. Kitty was back, and immediately began pulling off the warmer pieces of her disguise. “You were right,” she said, obviously disappointed. “No way to tell.”

“It was a good idea,” he said, taking the coat as she slid it off her shoulders. She turned around, started to say something, then stopped.

“What do we do now?” Illyana said.

“We wait and hope there's no one on the train who wants to kill you,” she said.

Kitty dumped the bookbag to the floor and took the coat from Kurt as he was hanging it up.

“Hold on.” She reached into the pockets and pulled out food—fruit and candy bars mostly. “I got us a few snacks.”

“You stole them?” Illyana said, eyes wide.

“No, of course not.” Kitty shook her head as she handed out apples and chocolate. “I only steal things when people pay me a lot of money.”

They ate in silence. Kitty leaned back and propped her feet on the empty seat across from her.

“I wish I had asked you to buy books,” Illyana said. Kitty raised a brow and turned slowly to stare at the princess. Illyana laughed. “They're _almost_ necessities.”

“Yeah, when your life's not at stake,” Kitty said. “Can't remember the last time I read for pleasure.” Kurt's deep chuckle caught Kitty's attention. “Aren't you gonna sit down at all? The door's locked.”

He didn't move at first, but then he dropped his arms and Kitty pulled her feet up to let him pass. The train ride was just over four hours, with one meal provided. At six, someone knocked on the cabin door and announced dinner being served in the dining car.

No one moved.

“Bad idea,” Kitty said.

“Agreed.”

“But I'm hungry. How will we eat?” Illyana said.

“I could take her,” Kitty said. Nightcrawler was shaking his head before she finished speaking.

“I don't like that idea. What good am I to you if I'm not even there?”

“Just use the cover story,” Illyana said. “Take your niece to dinner.”

“It's not that,” Kitty said. “If there are people on board looking for us, there's no way they won't notice Kurt.”

Kurt considered their options. Their main job was to keep Illyana safe. She would be less safe in the dining car than in their private cabin. She would be less safe if they had to run again, if she hadn't eaten. He felt like he was trapped.

“Maybe we should just go eat,” he said at last. “If someone is looking for us on the train, they will find us eventually. It's what they do.”

Kitty had come to the same conclusion. No doubt it was partly fueled by the rumbling in her own belly. “All right. But let's stay intangible for the first bit.”

Kurt opened the door, and peered out. No one in the narrow walkway. They had probably already gone to the dining car.

“It's that way,” Kitty said, pointing.

Single file they walked down the tiny corridor of the train. Kurt's nerves began to fray as he expected each door they passed to burst open. They moved into the second car and then the third, which he admitted smelled wonderful. There were a lot of people already eating, and he scanned the crowd, looking for the man who'd fired on them in town earlier. It was unlikely he could have found his way here so quickly, but in the years he'd worked for hire, he'd learned not to take anything for granted.

A gentleman approached and showed them to a booth, where Illyana slid in first, and Kitty sat across from her and Kurt. Her view of the dining car was good, but the people she observed looked like any people, eating or talking or looking at their menus. Briefly she scanned the choices. Voices carried through the car, and Kitty heard snippets of conversations from too many voices she didn't recognize. Gradually, she began to relax a little, the more time passed that nothing happened.

“What're you getting, _Aunt Kitty_?” Illyana said, stifling a giggle. Kitty moved only her eyes. Illyana was having too much fun with this.

“Chicken,” she said.

A waitress took their orders and left glasses of water for each of them. Kitty noticed Illyana reaching for her water, and she and Kurt had the same thought. They both reached for her glass at the same time, his hand covering hers to take it from the princess.

“Sorry,” he said, letting Kitty take the glass. “Do you have a test kit?”

“No, I was just going to drink it.”

“Don't do that. Here.” He reached into the pouch on his belt and pulled out a tiny bag. Inside were little white balls of something. He dropped one into each glass and watched as nothing happened. “Don't worry, they won't hurt you or add any flavor. But if it had been poisoned, the water would change color.” He slipped the bag back into his belt while Kitty took a sip of her water.

“Tastes fine.”

She slid Illyana's glass back to her, all the while keeping her eyes on Kurt's face. “Thanks for not making me taste possibly poisoned water.”

“Anytime,” he replied with a grin. “Not having my _wife_ die on vacation with our _niece_ is always a good thing.”

She rolled her eyes. “How long have you been waiting to say something like that?”

“Since Yana came up with it.”

The waitress returned with their meals, and Kitty waited to see what he did about those. He had another little bag, similar to the first, but this was a dropper of liquid. A drop or two on each plate showed no change, and they ate, satisfied that the food was most likely not poisoned.

Kitty shifted in her seat, tapping at the table leg with her foot, until the table leg moved. “If you don't mind?” Kurt said, and she felt her face flush crimson.

“Dammit, sorry,” she said, almost laughing. “I thought your leg was the table.”

“ _Wunderbar_. I have the personality of a table.”

“No, no, only your legs.”

“I don't know if that's better or not.” He turned to Illyana. “Is it a compliment to tell someone he has the legs of a table?”

She laughed, and Kitty flushed even warmer. Dessert was included in the meal, and they waited once more while the waitress took the plates away and returned with three slices of the cake of the day.

When the cake was gone, they returned to their cabin with no incidents, and Kitty began to think they had evaded their attackers. There was nothing to do in the small cabin except talk or doze. They did some of both. They were scheduled to arrive in Porto in late evening, which meant they couldn't book passage on a ship until the morning. Assuming any ships were sailing in the immediate future. Kitty didn't want to consider what that might mean.

When the train stopped at the station in Porto, Kitty couldn't believe they'd succeeded in making a full leg of the trip without incident. Of course, that thought was followed almost immediately by an attack.

Kurt heard the twang of arrows being fired before he could spot the archers in the station floodlights. Instinctively, he grabbed Illyana to teleport away. He reached for Kitty, too, but she twisted out of his grip. With no choice left to him, he teleported. Illyana was his primary concern. They appeared on the far side of the Porto station, where people were running into the street to get away from whatever was happening inside. He glanced quickly around them, and teleported again, this time to the far end of the street, where he ducked into a dark, empty shop, pulling Illyana behind him. They crouched under a rack of clothing and waited.

He cursed Shadowcat silently. Why had she broken free? Their group was separated again, and he had no way to contact her. For the second time, it was up to one of them to find the other two without leading the attackers to them. Kitty's disguise on the train came to mind, and he realized they were literally surrounded by disguise possibilities. He began grabbing clothes off the racks nearby. Illyana didn't need to be told what to do. She started pulling an oversized tunic over her head, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and then tucked her blond hair into it. She pulled up the scarf like a hood. Kurt had a scarf and coat and a hat with ear flaps that hung almost to his neck.

“Stay close and do not let go of my hand,” he whispered as they stepped back into the street. They headed towards the train station, and under all the clothes, Kurt began to get very warm. And itchy. It wasn't nearly as cold here in Portugal as it had been in the Alps, and he wished...he wished he knew where Shadowcat was.

The street was dark, with few people out, but there was still a crowd near the station. Porto, being an aptly named port city, was busy twenty-four hours. He kept close to the buildings, searching each passing face for signs of trouble and for her. As they drew closer to the train station, the crowd increased, and he could see they'd made a circle around a situation. He couldn't see without pulling Illyana closer, and when he did, he immediately backed up again.

Shadowcat had a man, an archer by the looks of the leather pieces on his arms, pinned to the ground, one foot on his chest, her hand twisting his wrist uncomfortably. Kurt couldn't quite make out what she was saying. It sounded like threats perhaps, but he couldn't be sure. Her voice was very quiet, and she was leaning close to the man's face.

Then she let go of him, and he bolted toward the station. Gradually the crowd dispersed, and she was left alone in the glow of a streetlamp, wiping her brow with one arm.

He fought the unexpected urge to run towards her, waiting instead for her to look around and notice him and Illyana huddled against a wall in the shadows. She never looked at them directly, but she must have seen them. She walked casually in their direction at last, and when she was close enough to speak to him, she said, “I think we should get out of here, if you can manage it.”

He puffed up at the insult. _Manage_ it? Then she cocked her head and he could see her expression. Not insult, then, concern.

“I can.” He touched her shoulder, and two streets over, they reappeared, closer to the harbor. They walked in silence down the street, deciding what to do.

Kitty said nothing, but she had unbuttoned the top of her coat, and he could see drops of sweat sliding down her face. He stopped in front of a run-down building with half a sign hanging lopsided in front. There was a woman standing in the doorway dressed in such a way that it was clear to anyone what she was selling.

“Let's see if they have a room,” Kurt said.

Kitty whirled and glared at him. “That's a brothel, not a hotel.”

He returned her glare. “I know that. Would you look for a princess there?” he hissed.

Kitty opened her mouth to reply, then shut it again. She looked at Illyana, still covered up like it was the middle of the Arctic. “Okay. Good point. But you get to do the asking.”

He ignored her, and walked up to the woman. Her face went from delighted to annoyed, then once again delighted, and she waved Kitty and Illyana inside. She led them down a dim hallway, where they could hear the sounds of business being transacted behind closed doors, to a circular staircase.

“Up the stairs, third door on the left. It locks good from inside,” the woman said.

Kurt dug in his pockets and handed her money. “This should more than compensate you for any lost profits associated with our stay. Thank you,” he said.

“I don't know what you're talking about, now get out of here,” the woman replied, and swatted his backside as he started up the stairs.

They hurried up the stairs, following Kurt now. The room was empty, as she'd promised, and the door locked, as she'd said. As soon as they were inside, Illyana began peeling off the extra layers, leaving them piled on the floor around her.

“I thought I'd sweat to death,” she said.

Kitty let her voice her complaints. She was taking all the setbacks surprisingly well. Kitty dropped her backpack on a chair and yanked off her coat, gloves, and boots. She was hot, too, dressed as they all were for colder climates. Kitty stuffed her gloves into the pack, then shoved it to the floor and sank into the chair. Illyana was perched on a corner of the bed, eyeing it now and then as if it might reach out and touch her. Kurt hadn't moved from the door. He was glowering at Kitty.

“What?” she said.

“Why did you do that?” he said, and in spite of the glint in his eye, his voice was measured.

She shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea, since they were trying to kill us. Besides, it was my turn to fight.”

Kitty could see a muscle working in his jaw as he decided how to respond. She would fight him, too, if he wanted. She was still keyed up from earlier.

“We need...some way to find one another after such instances. It seems we will be plagued by these people the entire trip.”

She hadn't been prepared for such reason.

“Oh.”

He finally stepped away from the door. At the bed, he removed his swords and then their scabbard. Kitty stared, not even trying to pretend she wasn't. Hadn't he said he never took them off when he was working? Then he pulled his heavy shirt off, and tossed it aside. He gave himself a good scratch all over, then replaced the scabbard and swords, and Kitty relaxed again.

“I don't know how we can do that,” Kitty said.

“Neither do I,” he admitted, stuffing the tunic into his backpack.

“Want to know what I found out?” Kitty said. She continued without waiting for him to answer. She needed to distract herself from hard muscle under soft fuzz. “They don't know who hired them, only that they've been paid a _lot_ of money.”

“That's not surprising.”

“But _this_ is. They aren't following us.”

Kurt looked at her. “What?”

“They aren't following us. They know where we're going but there are different groups waiting for us in the most likely locations.”

“ _Verdammt_.” He ran a hand through grimy hair, scratching and making a face. “Now what?” He was talking to himself, but Kitty answered anyway.

“I don't see that we have many options, really. We have to get to Genosha, and short of finding another port city, we might as well continue. Once we're on a boat, we can find them and hopefully get rid of them, and as long as it's not crewed entirely by assassins, which I find unlikely, we should be good the rest of the way.”

“Unless more come on board when the ship docks.”

“Right.”

Kurt stopped beside Illyana, who was listening in silence, her face growing ever paler. “How are you holding up?”

“I'm okay.”

“Try to get some sleep,” he said, going to the window as he had at the last hotel.

Kitty went to the door and sat down to lean against it. Illyana spread her coat on the bed and lay down on it, but she didn't close her eyes. They could hear people throughout the building, working with their clients. The walls were very thin. Kitty went to the bed and touched Illyana's hand.

“They're just doing a job,” she said. “Making a living.”

“I know,” she said. Her eyes remained open. Kitty stayed on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed. Kurt sat in the window, one foot propped against the sill to keep his balance. That same flickering in her belly started, and she looked away.

Kitty began to hum a song she remembered someone singing to her once, long ago. A grandmother most likely. She couldn't imagine her mother singing to her. Kurt, still looking out the window, began to hum along. Then he began to sing.

The words were in German, but the tune was familiar, and Kitty hummed along to the end. “Can you teach that to me?” she said.

He cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. “ _Ja_. It's Brahm's Lullaby,” he said.

“I've heard of it. I don't know the words.”

“They're different in English,” he said, shifting on the windowsill. He stood up and then planted both feet on the sill, crouching rather than sitting. He looked perfectly at ease in the precarious position as he started to teach her the words. “I believe, in English, it is... Lullaby and...something...I'm afraid I don't know it in English.”

“Teach me in German.”

He hesitated only briefly. “All right.”

Kitty glanced at Illyana, who was still awake, listening, but seemed much more relaxed now, even with their quiet conversation to focus on instead of the other sounds. Kitty didn't know any German, and her pronunciation was a mess, but she persevered until she could sing the first verse along with him. They were starting the second when she realized Illyana was asleep.

Kurt stopped singing and turned back to the window again, still crouching.

“How can you sit like that for so long?” Kitty said, scooting closer across the wood floor.

“I've always done it.”

She sat cross-legged, watching Illyana breathe and Kurt stare down at the street. He scratched at his back again, and rubbed his shoulder uselessly against the window frame. Kitty got up and hesitantly scratched his shoulder. He went very still but didn't tell her to stop.

He pointed to another spot and she scratched there, and another. Then she phased the sword scabbard off. He whipped his head around.

“I'll put it back. Sit still a second. You're miserable.”

She was surprised when he relented, giving his whole back to her, and pulling the hem of his shirt up to his shoulders. Kitty did _not_ admire the muscles in his back, or the softness of the furry covering that was making him itch so badly. Absolutely not. She merely _noticed_ them, she told herself. She dug her nails in just enough to be satisfying, and he dropped his chin to his chest with a sigh.

“I didn't mean to scare you,” she said, brushing a few pieces of dried leaves out of his fur.

“ _Was_? When? Oh, earlier. You didn't.”

“Okay. Good.”

She worked her way down his back, then picked up the scabbard. He let the shirt drop back in place, then insisted on replacing the scabbard himself. Kitty stepped aside.

“ _Danke_ for that,” he said quietly.

“Yeah. I hope it helped.”

“Yes. Very much.” He averted his eyes and crouched again. “You should watch the door.”

“Yeah, I was just going to do that.” She listened at the door before sinking to the floor in front of it.

“Kitty?”

“Yes?”

“I'm glad you're here.”

  
  


Kitty didn't sleep at all. She thought she might have drifted off a time or two, but mostly she was awake. There was so much foot traffic in the hall, she couldn't settle. Every time a new set of footsteps passed the door, she braced for the attack that was sure would come. And each time it didn't, she breathed a sigh of relief, and Kurt turned his head back to the window.

As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, Kurt hopped off the window sill, stretched, and started gathering his things. Kitty moved a little slower, but picked up her bag, too. She tapped Illyana on the shoulder to wake her, and within ten minutes, the group was out the door, heading for the port.


	5. A Stroke of Good Fortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally something goes right.  
> Attraction grows.

“I could see parts of the dock from the window,” Kurt said as they made their way through the dim streets, just after dawn. “There are several large ships docked there. Hopefully one of them is going our way.”

It was dark enough that most people were still home, but the threesome scurried along the streets, on guard. Kitty kept Illyana's hand in hers, bringing up the rear. She was tired and hungry, running on adrenaline and fear, and hoping against hope that they'd get a break on board the ship.

When they reached the harbor, there were four ships docked, one that looked like a pleasure cruiser, one that looked like a coal ship, and two others that were obviously some kind of freight shippers. Illyana admired the cruise ship, but Kurt was studying the freighters.

Kitty debated in her mind. The cruise ship would be comfortable, slow, and make a lot of stops along the way. It would be full of people, crowded, and force them out in public for every meal. The freight ships would be empty, sparse, and private. The choice was obvious.

“Cruise ship?” she said, coming up beside Kurt, who rubbed his chin.

“I agree,” he said. “It's too obvious if we take the freighters.”

“That's what I think. They wouldn't expect us to take the cruise ship.”

He started forward. “I hope they'll let us on board.”

They were probably booked up, Kitty realized. Still, they had to try. Maybe they could sneak on later if the crew wouldn't let them buy passage. The ship crewman at the top of the gangplank apologized, but said they weren't taking new passengers at this stop.

“Where are you going?” Kitty asked, after they were turned down.

“The _Ocean Ruby_ sails from here to ports along the coast of Africa to South Africa, where it then returns north again.”

That was promising. From there they'd need passage to Genosha, but they would be a lot closer.

“Are you sure there isn't anything you can do for us?” Kurt said. “We're in a bit of a bind, and we can pay.”

The crewman shook his head again. “Sorry.”

Illyana pushed forward, between Kurt and Kitty. “Excuse me, I don't believe you understand. I am Princess Illyana Nikolievna Rasputina, and—”

The crewman's eyes went wide, and for a moment, Kitty thought it was going to work. Then the crewman laughed.

“Sorry lady, I still can't help you. You folks need to move on.” His friendly demeanor had vanished, and he looked prepared to use force if necessary.

Illyana was undeterred. She pulled a piece of paper from somewhere in her clothing and handed it to the man. Kitty remembered Piotr giving them papers to help them secure passage. Illyana must have looked through them. The crewman read over it, looked from Illyana to the paper and back, and began stammering. “I—I have to—get the captain.”

He ran up the gangplank and disappeared.

Kurt looked annoyed. Kitty watched the muscle in his jaw twitch, and she almost reached out to touch him. She stopped her hand at his shoulder instead. He jerked his head in her direction, and Kitty realized he was angry, not annoyed. She pulled her hand back quickly and mumbled, “Never mind.”

A minute later, the ship captain came towards them with the same crew member, still shaking the paper in his captain's face. The captain walked straight up to Illyana and handed the paper back to her. “Welcome, your Highness,” she said. “This is highly unusual, but considering your circumstances, the crew of the _Ocean Ruby_ is happy to welcome you aboard.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Illyana said. “You'll be certain not to let anyone else on board from this port?”

“Absolutely,” she said, leading them up the gangplank. The captain walked with Illyana, leaving Kurt and Kitty to follow behind like strays.

They went down a flight of stairs from the main deck to the rooms below. “It's lucky one of our sea view cabins wasn't booked this trip,” the captain said. Kitty wondered if that was true. “Hopefully your Highness will find it comfortable.”

“I'm sure it will be fine. We appreciate your help, Captain. I'll be sure to let my brother know how gracious Captain Cơi Mạnh has been to us.”

The captain opened the door, and Kitty was sure her mouth gaped open. It wasn't a room, it was a suite.

Illyana went inside, waving her bodyguards in behind her. The crewman gave them each a key to the suite and promised to return shortly with information about the ship, activities, and meals. Then he left, pulling the door shut.

Illyana beamed at the room, and Kitty spun in a circle, back to business as she searched for hiding places.

“Why did you tell them who you are?” Kurt said, and the anger in his tone wiped the proud smile off Illyana's face like magic. “You've endangered all of us.”

“I...I...” she struggled for her answer in the face of his reprimand.

“It's done now,” Kurt snapped, stalking around the room, looking for traps as they had on the train.

“We needed to get on board. The whole world knows I'm going to Piotr's wedding. The assassins are already out there, waiting for me. It's no secret anymore, Nightcrawler,” Illyana said, finding her voice at last. She straightened and put her hands on her hips. “And I'll remind you that you are employed by my brother, and therefore by me, and I won't have you scolding me like a child.”

Kitty could almost see the impassive mask move over his face. She wished Illyana would be quiet. Kurt was right, she should not have said anything. He was also right that it was done, though they would have gotten aboard some other way. Who could say if the crewman would really be able to keep others off the ship? Who could say he wouldn't keep the secret? Most likely the entire ship already knew that a princess was on board.

For a cruise ship, the room was large, with a real bed along one wall. Kitty opened every door, finding a small closet, a bathroom with a real shower, and another room with a bed, and no outside exit except a port window too small for a person to get through.

“This room will be safer, Princess,” Kitty said, leading Illyana to the room. Illyana looked sad now, but Kitty paid no heed. She had made herself clear. They weren't friends. They were employees and she was a princess. They were doing a job, and it didn't matter if Illyana was happy or sad, it only mattered that she was alive.

She left Illyana alone in the small room. In the main room, Kurt was seated at the small table near the balcony, browsing the brochures and activity sheet the crewman had brought. He had wedged one of his swords into the door, where it still vibrated slightly.

He barely glanced at Kitty when she came up beside him, looking over his arm at the papers. He handed them to her without a word. “Hey,” she said.

He was still angry, and she didn't know what to say except, “I'm glad I don't have to do this alone.”

His face relaxed a little, and one corner of his mouth twitched in an almost-smile. “ _Ja_ , me too.”

The room had access to a wide balcony Kitty wished didn't exist. “Guarding this place is going to be a pain,” she said, gesturing to the balcony doors. “Anyone could bust through this glass.”

Kurt nodded, and started to say something else to her. Then he stiffened and shut his mouth like a trap. Illyana had come out of the small adjoining room. Kitty walked back to the table, closer to Kurt. Though Illyana's words had not been directed at her, she was still an indirect recipient.

“Princesses aren't supposed to apologize for anything,” Illyana said, her voice quavering only slightly. “But it was unkind to say those things and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that.”

“That's very gracious of you, Highness,” Kurt said. His voice sounded hollow and flat to Kitty. She reached to touch his shoulder but he had already risen to his feet and moved towards the door. “Breakfast is being served in a few minutes. Do you want to go?”

Illyana wavered, clearly not sure how to answer. Both waited in false patience for her to answer.

“I honestly don't know what to do,” she said at last. “I already messed up, so I'm afraid to make a decision.”

Her honesty seemed to work. Kurt loosened up a little, and scratched his head.

Kitty stepped forward. “Why don't you take a shower and I'll go with Illyana to get something to eat.”

He looked grateful, but said, “I don't like the idea of us splitting up.”

“Me either, but it's happened twice and we've lived through it. We're as safe as we ever are.”

The appeal of a shower was overwhelming. “All right,” he said. “Be careful.”

“Always,” she said, smiling at him. She was surprised at the warmth of the smile he returned.

Kitty took Illyana by the arm and led her out, not bothering to open the door.

  
  


As soon as they were gone, Kurt stripped everything off, and bolted for the shower. Grime had worked its way through the fabric of his clothes and lodged in his fur, and his hair was greasy. He indulged as long as he dared, scrubbing until his skin felt raw in places. He toweled off, wrapping one around his waist. He carried his clothes to the balcony and shook them out vigorously. At least most of the dirt was gone, but it would have been nice to wash them.

The dining room wasn't as big as he imagined when he went to meet Kitty and Illyana, nor was it full. They were seated in a corner, Kitty facing the room with Illyana to her left. A waiter took their plates as Kurt sat down, and offered him a menu.

“Feel better?” Kitty said, chin in her hands.

“So much better. You've no idea how itchy I've been.”

“Oh, I've got an idea.”

Kurt grinned, feeling for the first time that he and Kitty were a real team. She had managed to win his respect, and his...dare he say it? His affection. He knew it was dangerous to let her get to him, but he couldn't deny how good it felt to care about someone again. The waiter returned and took Kurt's order, agreeing to bring it in a box. In the suite, Kurt again used a sword to wedge the door shut, while Kitty re-checked the space.

“Is it okay if I take a shower?” Illyana asked once the suite was given the all-clear.

“Of course,” Kurt replied without looking up from the cruise information he was again perusing. He motioned Kitty over. “Each port of call is listed, with date and time.”

She stood across from him in front of the balcony doors. “I know it. It's not good. Then again, nothing about this trip has been very good.”

“I wouldn't say that. It hasn't been all bad.” He looked directly at her.

Her stomach flipped at the change in his tone, and she felt her cheeks warming.

“Thank you,” he said.

He tossed the papers onto the table and took a step closer to her. He was staring at her so intently that she shifted on her feet and focused her eyes on the strap of his sword scabbard, where it crossed his chest.

“What for?” She counted the scratches on the straps of his sword scabbard.

“Kindness.”

“Oh,” she stammered, “Well, I'm _not_ really.”

“You are. You stood by me. You let me shower, you...” He touched her wrist, one finger rubbing over the bone.

She raised her eyes slowly to his, pausing for the briefest flicker at his lips, before meeting his eyes. The room did not exist. Time stopped altogether. She could hear her heart beating in her ears. His hand folded gently around her wrist.

The bathroom door clicked open and Illyana called out that Kitty could take a turn now.

“Oh. Yes,” Kitty said, jerking away from him before Illyana came into the room. “Thanks.”

Kurt sighed into the space where she'd been standing and went onto the balcony. He stood outside letting the salty air blow in his face. The sun was up, warming the air, and the ship would be under way within the hour, according to the timetable the crewman had brought them. He scanned the other balconies around them, noting the ones close by, and those above and below where someone could gain access to theirs. Yes, this was a nightmare scenario, but they had few options and going back into Porto was not one of them.

He processed all of those thoughts as quickly as possible, because what he really wanted to think about was her. She'd surprised him from the start, and seemed each day to have one more surprise up her sleeve. Had she really been hoping for him to kiss her just now, or was it all in his head? She was a mystery, and he didn't know how much of her was genuine and how much was show. Both of them led lives that required a degree of acting, and letting that guard down with anyone was never easy. He wanted to with her, though, more than he had with anyone in recent memory. He gave one more passing observation to the nearby balconies and went back inside.

Kitty was brushing her damp hair while Illyana looked over the activity list. “I wish we could do some of these things,” she said to Kitty as Kurt shut the balcony door.

Kitty glanced back at him, smiled, and said to Illyana, “Going out for meals is enough risk as it is.”

“I understand,” Illyana said, “I'm just bored.”

The ship began to move, smoothly, almost imperceptibly except to those trained to notice things like that. Kitty forced herself not to watch Kurt's smooth stride as he moved to the side of the bed where she and Illyana were sitting. Illyana was in the middle of it, hunched over the brochure, while Kitty sat on the edge, one leg dangling off the side. He stopped so close to her that if she moved her foot she could touch his leg. She stayed very still, except for brushing her hair.

“Perhaps the ship has a library,” he said. “I could find out if you like.”

“I would like that, yes,” Illyana said, still trying to recover from the earlier awkwardness.

“Then I'll return shortly,” he said, and pulled the sword from the door jamb. “Kitty,” he said, and her heart skipped, “keep the sword. Wedge it in the door when I leave and keep this area clear. I'll teleport back when I'm done.”

She crossed the small space and took the sword he handed her. She hadn't held one in a while, and it was lighter than she remembered. She studied the handle and realized there were markings etched into it.

“This is beautiful,” she said, earning a mumbled response before he left.

She shoved the sword back into the jamb, wondering if his gaze had lingered on her face. She couldn't be sure.

She took her time walking back to the bed to sit. She laced her boots carefully, letting her mind wander until Illyana spoke to her again, asking a question about some thing or other. They talked then, idle chatter, until Kurt returned to say there was no library on board, but there was a book seller.

“Did you get anything?” Illyana asked.

Kurt held out empty hands. “ _Nein_. No. I thought you might like to make the choice yourself.”

Illyana's face brightened at the opportunity to leave the room. Kitty was surprised Kurt would offer, since each time they left the room afforded someone the chance to spring an ambush on them, or leave some kind of trap behind.

“Do you want me to stay here?” she said.

“It isn't necessary. We'll do the usual sweep when we get back.”

Kitty had a moment of uncertainty. Why was he encouraging this? She hesitated, then as casually as she could, she moved towards the door, and the sword. She took it from the door jamb, pretending not to know how to use it, and thought fast.

“How did that song go again? Rock a Bye Baby?”

“That's not what we sang. It was Brahm's Lullaby.”

She felt the tension draining.

“You thought I was an impostor?” he said, looking amused.

“For a minute.”

Illyana had watched the exchange with some curiosity. “Kitty?” she said. “What's going on?”

“Nothing, it's all right. There are mutants who can take the form of anyone, and Nightcrawler seemed a little off just now.”

“Are we no longer using our given names?” he said.

“Just checking.”

“Always best to be certain, Kätzchen. And all the more reason for us to stay together as much as possible.”

She handed him the sword and he sheathed it with the other. “So why are we suddenly in the mood to go walking around the ship?”

“Not walking around, only to the book seller. We will be on this ship for days. If we are lucky enough to be left alone, we'll be bored by the end of the week.” He put a hand on the doorknob. “Besides, I'd rather know if there are any assassins on board now rather than be surprised later.”

He opened the door, and flew back, the punch from the thug in the hall sending him flying into the room. Illyana ran into the adjoining room and shut the door while Kitty attacked the man. Kurt rolled to his feet, but Kitty had already pinned the man to the floor. Her hand was inside his head.

“Who else is here?” she said.

He said nothing. She leaned close to his face.

“If I let my hand solidify inside your skull, your brain is going to go splat all over the floor. Very messy.”

Still he said nothing. Kurt ambled over, rubbing his jaw, and handed Kitty a sword. “Ooh, better than my hand.”

“You can kill me,” the thug said, “I'll never talk.”

“Your boss must be paying you enough money to retire on,” she said.

Silence. She deferred to Kurt. “What do you want to do with him?”

“Throw him overboard.” He picked him up by the back of the shirt and took him to the balcony, tossing him into the water. They watched him swim frantically away from the ship.

“Well, I guess we know the answer to one of our questions,” Kitty said.

“How did you learn to fight the way you do?” Kurt said.

She grinned. “Long story. I'll tell you later. Let's take Illyana to the book seller. I'm kind of sick of hiding.”

“Me too.”

  
  


“And you have no idea why they want you dead?” Kitty said to Illyana as they took a third staircase down.

“Nothing other than being a princess. I'm not even heir to the throne, at least, it's not common knowledge. Piotr hasn't even publicly announced his wedding.”

Illyana was jumpy, starting at sounds in the passageway, though she was still flanked by her bodyguards. At last Kurt stopped them with a raised hand. He peeked into an open room, then motioned them inside. Kitty immediately made a circuit of the room, while the book seller followed her with inquisitive eyes. She nodded to Kurt, and Illyana fairly leaped at the books.

Kitty went back to stand with Kurt, watching the doorway. “So a long time ago, one of my dad's clients was a Japanese man named Ogún Ryu. He and Dad became friends, and I used to go with my dad to visit him in Japan, after he moved back.”

“I've heard of this man, Ogún.”

“I bet you have. Back then, I didn't know who he was, but he offered to teach me martial arts, and I accepted. Things got a little weird, and then he was killed while Dad and I were away.”

“Are the stories true?”

She hesitated briefly. “Every one of them.”

“But you are not...”

“No. He didn't finish. If he hadn't been killed, I'm sure he would have, and I wouldn't be standing here with you.”

Illyana had a stack of books at the desk, and Kitty went over to pay for them. Kurt watched her counting out the money, found his eyes lingering on her body, and stepped into the hallway. Every time he thought he understood her, she revealed something new. Trained by Ogún? Had he known that from the start, would he have agreed to work with her? The honest truth was _probably not_.

Now, however...as they exited the room, he was in time to catch her smiling at Illyana and tapping one of the book covers. “I loved this one.”

“Ready to head back?” Kurt said, reminding himself for the thousandth time that he was working. It was no time to be thinking about a woman. Even one as fascinating as Shadowcat.

Kurt couldn't stop thinking about her. Other than checking the balcony periodically, there was little for them to do as far as guarding Illyana. She had stretched out on the bed absorbed in one of the books, completely at ease. Kurt prowled back and forth for a while, and finally took up a seat near the balcony. Kitty sat at the table counting out what remained of their funds. Now and then she went onto the balcony, and Kurt watched her hair fly around her face while she scanned for threats on the neighboring balconies.

Once, she leaned against the railing, looking down at the water churning as the ship moved at a faster pace than it had within the harbor where they'd tossed the assailant overboard. He almost joined her, imagining he could be so bold as to put his arm around her and live. But she came back inside before he could work up the nerve even to rise from his chair.

She finished at last and announced that they still had enough to get to Genosha and then some. “Might need a little more to get back, though.”

“We'll speak to Piotr when we reach Genosha,” Kurt said.

She tapped her fingers on the table and regarded him with some interest. “So,” she said at last, “you know how I learned to fight. But you grew up in a circus.”

He joined her at the table, small enough that he could easily reach across and touch her. He kept his hands folded in front of him.

“ _Ja_ , I did. We had many people working there, and one was an expert swordsman. He taught me to fence, and then when I was older, to fight.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“And then what? That's all? You learned to be a mercenary from a guy in the circus?”

He shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint you, but _ja_ , that is how it happened.”

“My story wins.” She slapped the table, making Illyana jump. “Sorry.”

Kurt smirked. “I didn't stay in the circus, though.”

“Where'd you go?”

He decided to leave out the bad times for now. “I traveled abroad for a while, and then returned to Germany to help my foster family. But I enjoyed the more exciting life I'd been leading in my travels and left the circus permanently.”

“What did you do in the circus?”

“Trapeze. Aerial acts. How did you end up doing this?” he asked. He didn't think she'd tell him.

She tapped her fingers again, and fidgeted. He waited. She grabbed his hand suddenly and said, “When did you get hurt?” A thin line of dried blood ran across the back of his hand.

“I have no idea,” he said, disappointed but not surprised. She wasn't going to tell him. “Probably when I single-handedly subdued that assassin in the room.”

She swatted him playfully. He didn't care, let her swat him, let her take his hand and inspect his minor wounds if it meant she was touching him. She set his hand on the table, palm down, and ran her thumb along the edge of the cut. Then, as if realizing what she was doing, she pulled her hands away and tucked them against herself.

“My parents weren't very happy. When my dad died, Mom decided she didn't want to keep raising a thirteen year old girl on her own, and she sent me to a boarding school. I ran away.”

“I'm sorry about your father,” he said.

“Me too. But I'm okay. I've made my life something interesting at least. I've got enough money stashed away now that I can give it up anytime and retire to some tropical island.” She chuckled, but it wasn't a happy sound.

“Is that what you want to do?”

“No. I like what I do, most of the time.”

He understood what she meant. Most of the time, the work was interesting and exciting. Sometimes it was dangerous, like now, but he could pick and choose his jobs, and no one had held a knife to his throat to take this one. It was only sometimes, in the still of night, that it became a burden of loneliness.

“I never knew my parents,” he said, wondering why he was sharing this with her. “I was raised by a foster family.”

“Were they good to you?”

“Yes. Mostly. As good as any family, I suppose.”

“I should check the balcony,” she said, and went out.

Kurt glanced at the clock and was surprised to find it was lunchtime. When Kitty returned, the three of them headed up to eat. There were no thugs waiting outside the door this time, and their meal was uninterrupted.

“Can we walk the deck?” Illyana asked as they prepared to go back to their room. “If you think it's safe,” she added when they didn't answer immediately.

“I'll agree to it,” Kitty said.

“As we said earlier, hiding is tiresome.”

The wind was strong, blowing Kitty's and Illyana's hair into their faces even when they tied it back, until they came around the end of the ship and faced into it. It felt good to be out, walking and moving, and they circled the deck a few times before going back downstairs.

Illyana wanted to leave the balcony doors open and enjoy the warm sea breeze, but Kurt and Kitty both disagreed. It would be far too easy for an enemy to get in before they could react. At least the doors, while flimsy, provided one more barrier.

“Unless...” Kurt stood at the balcony doors, hand on hip, rubbing his chin. “If one of us sat outside to keep watch, it might be all right.”

“I think you're getting soft in your old age,” Kitty said, but she opened the doors and dragged one of the chairs out. “It's nice though.”

The rest of the first leg of the trip from Porto to Morocco was uneventful. There were no more surprise attacks, and they had to remind each other daily not to let their guard down. Kurt refused the bed the first night, insisting Kitty take it. She tried to argue, but he'd already settled onto the floor in front of the balcony, so she tossed a pillow at him. He took it without a word, and in a burst of playfulness, she tossed the second pillow at him. This time, he grabbed it and leaped onto the bed, brandishing it at her like a sword.

She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing and waking Illyana. Kurt dropped to his knees, shoved the pillow behind her head, and then froze. It seemed to dawn on him all at once—that he was on her bed, on his knees, braced above her, and she looked...

He leaped off awkwardly, landed on one foot and barely recovered his balance. He bowed to her dramatically to cover his embarrassment, and quickly returned to his place on the floor. He squeezed his eyes shut, but he could not get her face out of his mind. Had she really looked pleased?

On the bed, Kitty sat motionless, at war with herself. She wanted him to come back, but if he did, she'd never be alert enough if they were attacked. And hell, Illyana was in the next room! What was she even thinking. She dropped her head to the pillow and rolled over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I learned that Xi'An Coy Manh's name is an inaccurate Vietnamese name. Many thanks to @moscarific on Tumblr for providing a closer approximation to a real Vietnamese name similar to Karma's name in the comics. Xinh Cơi Mạnh (with the qualifier that even this is not a true name, and Xinh is a very uncommon family name).


	6. A Change of Scenery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh no. Trouble just won't leave them alone.
> 
> Kurt is a sexy ninja. Or something.

When the ship docked in Morocco, Kurt went up to the main deck to watch everyone who came on board. Kitty and Illyana remained in the suite with the doors locked and shades drawn. Kurt didn't return until the ship departed the following afternoon. By then, he was dragging, and didn't argue when Kitty requested his swords and sent him to the bed. He fell asleep almost immediately, and Kitty pulled the covers over him.

“Didn't see much,” he'd said when he stumbled in, which wasn't very helpful in Kitty's estimation, but they'd have to wait for him to wake up and give a decent report.

She and Illyana stayed inside and read quietly. Illyana figured out how to have meals brought to them, and Kitty intercepted them in the hallway to avoid letting anyone into the room.

  
  


What he had seen was a group of armed men and women just outside the docks. They stayed there the entire time the ship was in port. None of them made any attempt to board the ship, but neither did they leave. Kurt wondered if they were waiting for Illyana to disembark, or if they were there for another purpose entirely.

“We should still use extra caution,” Kitty said when he finished. “And next time, we do this in shifts. This is ridiculous.”

The next port of call was in Senegal, and this time, Kitty took the first watch. “Twelve hour shifts,” she reminded him.

Kitty was on deck keeping watch when someone knocked on the door of the suite. Kurt didn't have to tell Illyana to lock the door of the adjoining room and wait for him. He pressed his ear to the door to listen for any sounds of weaponry on the other side.

The knock sounded a second time, and a voice called out, “Your Highness, you have mail.”

“ _Verdammt_ ,” Kurt swore under his breath. He leaped up to the ceiling and opened the door with his tail.

The crewman stepped inside, confused, and jumped when Kurt landed on the floor beside him. “I will take it,” he said, and the crewman, still looking startled, left in a hurry.

The letter was from Piotr. Illyana tore it open and read his message, hoping she was well, handling the trip, he missed her and hoped to see her soon. Nereel was excited to meet her future sister-in-law. Illyana put the letter down and cocked her head at Kurt, who was rapidly gathering things up and packing their backpacks again.

“I don't understand why you're packing. It's from Piotr. Who hired you. He's _supposed_ to know I'm with you.”

Kurt forced his voice to remain calm. “The letter was delivered here to verify that you are on board.”

After a second of shock, Illyana began packing too. While on board, they'd picked up a third pack in one of the shops in the lower levels, which Illyana insisted on carrying. Kitty slid into the room, her shift not over yet.

“We've got trouble,” she said, then noticed what they were doing. “Oh, you know.” She grabbed her pack while Kurt looked out the balcony to assess their options.

“What'd you see?” Kurt asked while they worked.

“I think all the assassins are here.”

Kurt didn't have time to ask what she meant. Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall, closing in from both directions.

“Time's up,” he said as the door began to vibrate from pounding. They dashed onto the balcony, which faced the ocean. Kurt hesitated when he couldn't see anywhere to teleport them, but Kitty grabbed their hands.

“Let me,” Kitty said, phasing them and stepping onto the air. “Come on, let's move.”

The group ran on air along the side of the ship towards the port. Once there, Kurt spotted a freight ship and teleported them onto it. Immediately, the group was rushed by sailors.

“Not a friendly freighter,” Kurt said as he and Kitty fought the sailors, keeping Illyana between their backs. Finally, they had taken out enough of the sailors that the rest were hesitant to attack.

“We were attacked on our last ship,” Kitty said.

“We were hoping to find help here,” Kurt said, “But I can see that's not the case. We'll be going then.”

“Wait,” said a portly man who pushed his way through the remaining sailors. “I'm Captain Shaw. How did you get on my ship?”

Kurt explained. Captain Shaw snapped at his crew to get back to their posts. “Now let me get this straight,” he said, looking them all over. “You three came from the cruise ship, 'cause you got folks tryin' to _kill you_. So you just jumped over here onto my ship?”

“That's what he just said,” Kitty said, leaning her weight on one hip and tapping her foot.

Shaw leaned around Nightcrawler to size her up.

“You want safe passage on my ship?”

“If you're willing,” Kitty said, unable to keep the disdain from her voice entirely. Captain Shaw stepped around Kurt to speak to her directly.

“I'm willing. Where are you heading?”

“Genosha.”

“Perfect. So are we. Now, how are you gonna pay for this trip, is what I want to know.”

“We have money,” Kitty said. “How much?”

The captain rubbed the back of his neck. “Let's see...three of you, three cabins—”

“No, one cabin.”

“Okay,” Captain Shaw said, obviously thinking that was odd. “One cabin, that's easier, and food.” He did calculations in his head. The price was agreed upon, and paid, and the captain called one of his sailors to show them to a cabin.

“A nice one,” he said, wagging his finger.

The sailor led them down several staircases to a lower level. The corridors were bare and nearly identical, and Kitty was almost immediately turned around. Kurt noticed her trying to follow where they'd been. He touched her arm.

“I know the way,” he said.

“Here you go,” said the sailor, “Meals are in the mess hall upstairs at 6, 12, and 6. Be there or don't eat.”

“Thank you,” Kitty said, but the sailor was already walking away. They shut the door and did the usual sweep. It took no time at all, because the room was essentially barren. There was a bunk bed with two thin mattresses, a pile of folded bedding at the foot of each, a metal chair, and nothing else.

“Bathroom?” Illyana said.

Kurt jerked the door open to catch the sailor, but he was long gone. He walked a ways down the hall looking for signs on the doors, but saw nothing.

“We'll ask.”

“It's hot in here,” Illyana said.

“It is,” Kitty agreed. “And we're sailing farther south. It's only going to get warmer.”

“Let's find out where the facilities are,” Kurt said. Staying in the cabin was not going to be nearly as pleasant as it had been on the cruise ship.

Kitty tied a piece of cord to the doorknob on the outside to help her and Illyana find the room again if they didn't have Kurt with them. Up on deck again, they inquired of one sailor about the bathroom and location of the mess hall, and he explained in short, terse words where each was.

Back down they tramped. The mess hall was easy enough to find, but the bathrooms, which the sailor said were at the end of each hall, were not. The end of each hall was a T-junction with a staircase at the top. The side halls led to other similar halls, or to locked doors.

“Why aren't they labeled?” Kitty said. She started putting her head through all the doors until at last, they found one. It wasn't at the end of the hall, but in the middle, across and down one door from their own. “That guy didn't know what he was talking about,” Kitty complained.

“I think he did,” Kurt said.

“He lied?” Illyana said.

Kitty shrugged. “It doesn't matter. We found it. Let's see how bad it is.”

They agreed it wasn't great, but better than being in the wilderness. They went back to the cabin to wait for the ship to leave port. They didn't want to be on deck and within sight of their enemies, but staying in the cabin was hellish. It wasn't long before they were sweaty and irritable. Illyana had her long sleeves pushed up as far as they would go, and her leggings as well. Kitty removed her tunic, which caused Kurt more than a degree of discomfort before he realized she had a tank top on underneath. The arrow injury had left two small scars in her upper arm.

She and Illyana sat on the bottom bunk fanning themselves with whatever they could find. Kurt dug in his pack, more to avoid looking at Kitty than to find his own warm weather clothes. He pulled them out and went down the hall to change.

When Kurt returned, Kitty eyed him up and down several times.

“What are you wearing?” she said.

He looked down at himself as if he didn't know what was on his body. “What's wrong with it? It's my usual attire in warm weather.”

“It's uh, it's something.”

He looked down again and insisted, “What's wrong with it?”

She waved her hand at it. “It's like a Halloween costume. Are you going as a sexy ninja?”

He considered whether or not to be angry or annoyed, and leaned close to her face, grasping the rail of the upper bunk with one hand. “Try being covered in fur for a while and see how hot _you_ get.”

She held his gaze without flinching. From the corner of his eye, he saw her hand move. She ran one finger up the side of his ribs, making the muscles ripple at the ticklish sensation. He couldn't breathe.

“Feels more like fuzz to me,” she said, but her voice had lost its playful tone. Her hand lay against his ribs now, frozen in place, as he was.

Illyana laughed then, and the moment was lost. He stepped back, frowning. “Call it what you want,” he said gruffly, hiding his discomfort and that other thing that refused to give him peace.

He went back to his packing, and tried in vain to zip the backpack shut. It was too full, and he gave up, tossing it aside with a huff of annoyance.

Kitty was sorry for teasing him, and thought perhaps she'd pushed him a little too far. But she couldn't resist that one little touch. Kurt stationed himself in the doorway, his back to them, and his arms crossed. She went to the other side of the door, but he refused to look at her.

“That was uncalled for,” she said. “I'm sorry.”

He harrumphed at her.

She looked at the floor, at the shape of his feet in his boots, and began to feel truly awful. How often had people teased him? How often had he been laughed at? Called names? “I am such a jackass,” she said. “Honestly, I don't know what came over me.”

“You regret telling me I'm sexy?” he said, smiling at her.

“No, I—it isn't—I mean...Oh hell.”

“I can handle your teasing, Kitty. And now this will forever be my sexy ninja uniform.”

Kitty rolled her eyes and groaned. “What have I done?” she said in mock horror, draping her arm across her brow and pretending to swoon.

She snapped her eyes open when she felt his hand on her back. He lifted her upright, and she leaned against the door frame trying to regain her composure. The ship made a low screeching sound and lurched forward. Kitty was already off balance, and he caught her again when she fell towards him.

“I guess we're under way now,” she said, hoping the flush in her face from the heat would hide the blush she now felt.

“Let's go up on deck. Since we're moving away from the dock, hopefully we won't be spotted. I can't take much more of this heat,” he said.

 _Or her proximity_. He kept thinking about her finger trailing up his side. He could imagine it, if he concentrated, touching him in other places, but that was a dangerous line of thought to engage in while working. On deck, the air was warm, but not stifling, and they breathed a collective sigh of relief. Illyana came close to him and tapped his shoulder.

“I'm sorry, too,” she said.

He smiled at her. “Perhaps it's time for a change anyway. When we reach Genosha, you may both assist me in choosing something new, so I won't make a fool of myself anymore.”

“You're no fool, Nightcrawler,” Illyana said, forgetting they were not using code names.

And it was only coincidence that a sailor was passing by at that moment. He froze mid-stride.

“Nightcrawler?” he repeated, and Kurt turned to face the man.

“ _Ja_. I am he.”

“ _The_ Nightcrawler. The guy who killed all those people in Poland?”

“It's just Nightcrawler, and that's what they say.”

“Are you gonna kill us?”

“No,” Kitty said. “Not unless you make him really mad.”

Her smile was absolutely wicked. Kurt's heart thumped in his chest. He mimicked her grin as he turned back to the sailor, who was remembering the fight on deck earlier.

“You got any good stories?” the sailor asked. He had taken a few steps away from them, and Kitty noted the way his eyes moved to the swords sticking up from behind Kurt.

“A few,” Kurt said. “I might even be convinced to share a few over dinner.”

“Okay, great,” the sailor said. “I was in favor of lettin' you guys stay on board, y'know.”

Kurt managed not to laugh at the poor man. “ _Danke_ ,” he said. “I'll remember that.”

The man left in a hurry, muttering thanks as he did.

“You're terrible,” Illyana said when the man was gone. “Lying to that poor man, he's terrified now!”

“That's the point,” Kurt said. “The rumors keep us safe. If people believe we did terrible things, they will be less likely to attack us.”

  
  


Kurt was encouraged to tell a few stories over dinner, and the sailors seemed to come to the conclusion that the three of them were all right after all. After dinner, Kitty, Illyana, and Kurt stayed on deck as long as possible. Finally, the fatigue could not be denied and they reluctantly headed below. It was still warm, though not as stifling. The sailors said it would get better now that they were moving, but it was still hot.

Kurt didn't dare leave the door open during the night, either, so they'd simply be hot. Giving Illyana the bottom bunk was an easy decision, and once again Kurt insisted Kitty take the bed.

“Why can't anyone give us enough beds?” Kitty said as she climbed up to the bunk. “Oh god, it's even hotter up here. No way,” she said, climbing down. “I refuse. I'll sleep on the floor.”

“In that case,” Kurt said, and reached up. He pulled the mattress onto the floor.

They lay in the dark, on the floor, not sleeping. Kitty was sure she'd sweated a puddle into the cheap mattress.

Kitty whispered, “Hey Sexy Ninja, are you awake?”

“If you keep calling me that, it will go to my head. Yes, I'm awake.”

Kitty sat up. “Is Illyana awake?”

She didn't answer, so Kitty assumed she wasn't. “Let's go in the hallway,” Kitty said. She waited for Kurt to open the door so she could see, then joined him.

“It feels about a thousand degrees cooler out here,” she said.

“ _Ja_ , there is some movement of air. What did you want to talk about?” He settled into a kind of crouch on the floor, his back to the wall and his tail curled around one ankle.

“How did that courier find Illyana to deliver the letter from Piotr?”

“I've been thinking about that, too. Most likely Piotr sent several, and hoped one would get lucky.”

“It's weird, though, that it came when it did. I wonder if the courier was working for the same person the attackers are.”

“It's certainly possible.”

They stretched bare legs out on the cool metal floor and sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the ship and enjoying the less-stifling air of the hallway. Kurt stared at the ceiling. If he looked anywhere else, he could see her skin, and it turned his thoughts in pleasantly uncomfortable directions.

“I think I'm going to sleep right here,” Kitty said.

“What if a sailor steps on you in the night?”

“He'll get a big surprise when I kick him.”

Kurt chuckled softly. “It should only take a few days to reach Genosha. I hope. And it seems we've finally escaped our pursuers as well.”

The rest of the voyage was uneventful, if hot, and all three of them napped on the upper deck during the day and stayed out of the cabin as much as possible. Kitty and Kurt slept in the hallway in front of the door every night, resting their heads against each other's shoulders or lying head to head along the wall. Kitty started to look forward to the evenings, when she and Kurt were alone. He had stories he didn't share with the sailors, but he told her.

“Did you notice the sailor making eyes at Illyana tonight?” Kitty said when they'd settled down in the hall.

“I did. I haven't decided what to do about it yet.”

“Let him come around, I'll take care of him.” Kitty made a punching motion into her palm, and Kurt chuckled. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing. I've no doubt you would absolutely take care of him.”

“Men, they're all the same,” she said, shaking her head and leaning against the wall.

“How so?” Kurt tried not to feel offended.

“Chase a woman til they get what they want and then leave her the first time she disagrees. It's why I work alone.”

“My last girlfriend spun so many lies I'm sure she must have kept them in a notebook to keep track.”

“Falling in love is nothing but a liability,” Kitty said, nodding at him in solidarity.

“It can be.”

“It always is.”

“Not _always_.”

“Name one time it wasn't.”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I admit, I can't think of one right now. But even if it's still a liability, I think sometimes it can be worth it.”

“I definitely disagree.”

“Then we disagree.” He yawned and lay down along the wall, more to end the conversation than to sleep.

“Okay. Good night.” She put her head down beside him, stretching her legs the opposite direction. She was almost asleep when he whispered to her one more time.

“I'm sorry for whatever happened that made you give up on love.”

Kitty lay awake a long time thinking about that.


	7. A Reunion of Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genosha at last. Illyana will finally be safe. 
> 
> Or will she be in more danger than ever?

After a round of good-byes and thanks several days later, they disembarked at Hammer Bay port and hailed a passing carriage for hire.

“The palace, please,” Illyana said when the driver asked for their destination.

Less than a minute after the carriage dropped them at the gates, a group of servants followed by soldiers arrived, taking Illyana by the hand and fussing over the state of her hair and her dress. When the soldiers would have barred Kitty and Kurt, Illyana ordered them to be treated as well as she was.

“They are my bodyguards and they have kept me safe for weeks. See to it they are given every comfort.”

Kitty marveled at how quickly Illyana could go from spoiled teenager to powerful princess to everyday person. She and Kurt, after that, were treated well. Inside the palace, servants offered to take their things, but both declined. Illyana was about to be swept away by more servants when her brother appeared in the hall.

“Snowflake!” he cried, opening his arms to hug her. “You're here! I see your bodyguards have done their job well.” Piotr turned to them. “Thank you both, for delivering my sister to me safely. I will have no fear for her safe return now.”

Illyana started talking, eager to share all her stories, but Piotr stopped her. “There, there, we will have plenty of time for stories. You all look tired, though, and I am sure you would like to clean up and change. They will serve dinner in the great hall, and all of you will be there. You will meet my future wife, Princess Nereel.”

Piotr motioned to a servant. “Please take my sister and her bodyguards to their quarters and assist them with whatever they require. Illyana, you'll need your dress.” He stopped, realizing she had no baggage. “Where are your things?”

“Lost in the first hour,” she said. “Along with the horses and—oh Piotr,” she said, tearing up, “We don't know what happened to Aunt Raven and Aunt Irene. The cottage blew up!”

Piotr looked aghast. “Blew up?” He turned to Kurt and Kitty. “Did you investigate?”

“No,” Kurt said. He noticed Kitty's face had gone pale and stony. “Illyana's safety was foremost. We have no idea what's happened to them.”

“Snowflake, we will find out,” Piotr said, “I promise. Now go and clean up. Let us have some smiles and be joyful. You and I are together again.”

Illyana smiled and nodded, wiping her eyes.

The servant led them down wide, shiny halls decorated in gold and silver. The walls were lined with portraits and paintings, and the carpet underfoot was so thick and plush it was like walking on marshmallows. They had three rooms, all in a row, and Illyana in the middle.

The servant was about to take Illyana into her room, but Kitty stopped her. “Not until we clear it,” she said. Kurt was already inside, and Kitty joined him. It took quite a while, with all the ornamentation, furniture, and closets. At last, they were done, and reluctantly allowed Illyana inside alone. There was another servant waiting at both of the other two doors, standing patiently, or impatiently, it was impossible to tell.

“What now? Do we...” Kitty gestured at the servants.

“I suppose so,” Kurt said. “But I think it would be wise to stay close to her, at least until we're sure it is safe here.”

“Meet you in the hall then? Here?”

“ _Ja_ , I won't go anywhere without you and Illyana.”

Kitty pulled herself away from him, and went into her room. It was as opulent as Illyana's, and just as full. The servant, a lovely woman named Nan, showed Kitty around the room, started water for a bath, and then turned it off when she insisted she wanted a shower instead.

“Where are your clothes?” Nan asked, and when Kitty told her she was wearing them, Nan didn't bat an eye. She pulled out a tape measure and spun Kitty around, measuring her up, down, and sideways. “I will bring you a selection.”

Nan left and Kitty practically ran to the shower, letting the hot water spray over her face and wash the weeks of stress and the freshly accumulated dirt and grime. The soap smelled of roses, and when she was done, the towels were as soft as velvet. Sort of like the fuzz that covered Kurt's body. She paused drying off, thinking about that fuzz and that body, and wishing she could touch it again. Nan's entrance snapped her out of her reverie, and she finished drying off, grabbed a robe from a hook on the wall, and went into the bedroom. Nan had a pile of clothes in her arms that she was laying out on the bed. There were at least five dresses, all far too fancy for Kitty's taste, as well as various shirts, pants, and underthings.

“All new,” Nan assured her. There were shoes, too, fancy heels and dainty flats and a pair of boots made of something so soft and supple she thought it was leather, but which Nan explained was a Genoshan material made only on the island.

Kitty reached for a shirt, but Nan politely suggested she wear a dress for dinner. “The prince and princess are in attendance,” Nan said, “As well as a number of other dignitaries.”

“Oh?” Kitty decided to see what information she could get from Nan. “Who?”

“I am told the King of Latveria was invited,” Nan said.

“Victor Von Doom? Tell me you're kidding.”

“I am not. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend.”

Kitty breathed a sigh of relief that Nan pretended not to notice. “Lords Charles and Erik of the colonies are here, as well as Duke and Duchess Summers. Others will arrive in the next few days. Prince Piotr was not certain when the ceremony could take place, as he was awaiting Princess Illyana's arrival.”

Kitty finally decided on a blue dress, far too fancy, but a color she liked. Elbow-length sleeves belled out to her wrists, and the wide, rounded neckline was adorned with tiny glass beads. The skirt was long, and Kitty would have to hold it up to walk. She refused heels, but agreed to silver flats that were shockingly comfortable.

“More Genoshan leather,” Nan said. “They call it leather, but it's actually made from plants.”

Nan insisted on brushing Kitty's hair and putting it up for her, securing a loose bun with jeweled pins. By the time they were done, Kitty was sure Kurt and Illyana would be asleep in the hallway. Kitty thanked Nan for her help, before poking her head into the hall. On the other side of Illyana's room, Kurt leaned with his back to the wall and arms crossed. He looked like he was asleep, but he perked up when Nan shut the door.

He was dressed in a dark suit, and his curly hair was clean and neat. His lack of shoes didn't detract from his appearance at all, probably because he stood like royalty. Kitty wondered if he was secretly a prince, living an adventurous, rebellious life.

When he saw her, he stood away from the wall and stared openly. Kitty cheeks bloomed with warmth. “Hey,” she said. She held her hands out. “I feel silly.”

“You look beautiful,” he said.

“Thanks. You look handsome, too. We clean up, I guess?”

He smiled, still staring, and she wrung her hands until he stopped.

“Illyana isn't out yet,” he said, though it was obvious.

“No, I'm sure if she's getting the same kind of treatment I did, we'll be here a while.”

Kurt couldn't help but stare when Kitty had emerged from her room. She looked so unlike herself, he was rendered speechless. And then couldn't help but tell her the truth, that she looked beautiful.

“Yes, I received a bit of that myself,” he said.

“Have you been to many formal dinners?” Kitty asked.

“No. Not as formal as this. But when I traveled after the circus, I had occasion to dine in some nice restaurants.”

“I guess you aren't a secret rebellious prince then?”

“No, I'm afraid not. Just a poor circus boy turned bodyguard.”

Illyana finally came out of her room, looking every bit a princess. If Kitty thought her own dress was fancy, compared to Illyana's, it was made of twigs and dirt. Kitty and Kurt both gaped at her.

“You are stunning,” Kitty said.

Illyana blushed. “Thanks. I didn't know you were waiting for me.”

“Our job is not finished until you are safely returned home,” Kurt said.

Illyana's smile faded. “I hadn't thought about my aunts for a long time, and now, I can't seem to stop.”

“Piotr said he'd find out for you,” Kurt said, noting the way Kitty's expression fell. “I'm sure he will.”

A butler escorted Illyana down the hall, and Kurt held his arm out to Kitty. She placed her hand on it, but she still seemed sad.

“Is everything all right?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

She nodded. “No. Yes. I don't...I don't know, honestly.”

They descended the stairs behind Illyana. Piotr was waiting at the bottom, looking as much like a prince as ever.

“Perhaps after dinner, we could take a walk? And if you wish, you can tell me about it.”

“I think I'd like that.”

  
  


The dining hall was massive. The table could easily seat a hundred guests. The ceiling was three stories high, and the chandeliers that lit the room with golden light were as big around as Kitty's childhood home. She tried to hide her awe at the spectacle of it, the gross majesty and over the top expense of the place. It was both incredible and horrifying.

A butler seated them side by side, several places down from Illyana, her brother, and his fiancée. Then the food was served. Course after course of rich, delicious food, so much Kitty could take only a few bites of each thing or she'd never be able to make it through the meal. So much food was thrown out. By the end of the meal, Kitty was almost sick over it.

Piotr raised a glass to toast his future bride, his sister, his friends. Wine was poured and refilled and refilled again. Kitty sipped it carefully, and still felt slightly tipsy when they were done toasting everything in creation.

“I think I'm gonna need that walk,” she said to Kurt after the tenth toast. “What kind of wine is this?”

“Expensive and strong,” he said. “I'd rather have a German beer.”

“I'll toast to that,” she said, and he smirked.

The meal dragged on. Dessert was served, then an after dinner coffee was offered in the library. At last, they could get up. Piotr took Illyana and Nereel with him, pausing only long enough to inform Kitty and Kurt that they could take the evening off.

“How kind,” Kitty muttered when he was gone. “At least we don't have to feel guilty taking a walk.”

“Shall we see if there's a garden worth walking in?” Kurt said. What was he doing? She didn't believe in love, wasn't interested in anything with him, and if she was, it would be one more meaningless, physical encounter that left him alone and regretful. And yet...

“Please. I need some fresh air.”

A servant showed them the way, and even in the dark, the garden was lovely. The paths were made of crushed shells, white and almost glowing in the light of a nearly full moon. It felt like a dream, or a scene from a novel. The fresh air restored Kitty's energy, and they walked far out into the garden, past walls of ivy, and row after row of rosebushes. At the far end were fruit trees, and the added shadow made Kurt seem to disappear in spots.

“It's like part of you is here and part of you isn't,” she said, marveling at this aspect of his mutation. She put her hand on his chest to prove he was there, and when she would have snatched it back, embarrassed at being so forward, he covered it in his own hand. Then he lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

“Oh,” she said, stepping closer. She let her hand fall back to his chest, palm flat against the lapel of his suit. She swallowed, her mouth gone dry. His hands on her back were as warm as the look on his face. “When you take a lady walking in a moonlit garden, do you always kiss her hand?” she said, voice wavering only slightly.

“I have never walked with a lady in a moonlit garden,” he said, leaning closer. “And I would much prefer to kiss her l—”

Gruff voices interrupted from nearby. Kurt pulled Kitty down into a crouch, a finger to his lips in an unnecessary reminder to be quiet.

Kitty didn't care about people arguing, she only cared that he'd definitely been about to kiss her, and they'd been interrupted. She wanted to go over there and punch whoever it was. What was she thinking? She didn't believe in love anymore. If she let him kiss her, she'd only drown in it, and he'd leave her just the same.

“You told me it would be done!” hissed a man several hedges over.

“Yes, and it will. They are better than we expected,” said a second man.

“It must be done, and soon. I can't have her going back to Russia after the wedding.”

“I understand, and it will be done. I swear it.”

“You do understand what is at stake, do you not? Everything.”

“Yes, yes, sir, I understand.”

“She cannot be allowed to live.”

Kitty phased free of Kurt's grasp and crawled silently on air through the bushes. Too late, the men had turned and started back to the palace. Both in formal dress, there was no way to know who they were. But Kitty was sure she recognized one voice, and the fringe that shone in the white light of the moon confirmed her suspicions.

She crawled back to Kurt, heedless of her dress as she sat, solid again, on the ground. “Oh my god,” she said. “Oh my god.”

“Is it who I think?”

She nodded. “I'm pretty sure.”

“I recognized his voice.”

Kitty felt light-headed. How could this be true? There had to be a mistake. Another man, with a voice like his, who wanted Illyana dead. Who else could they have been talking about?

“How will we tell her?” Kurt asked, still crouched, one hand on Kitty's back.

She shook her head slowly, focusing on breathing in and out. “I need a minute.”

She stared at the rocks under her hands until her thoughts returned to something normal. Then she sat up, bracing one hand on his knee to get to her feet. He stood quickly and held out both hands. “We have to find her,” he said. “She's in more danger here than she was before.”

“She'll never believe it's her brother. No one will.”

As they walked back, they went over the options. Kurt agreed no one would believe them if they simply announced it, so it was more a matter of keeping her safe and hopefully catching him in the act of attempting to murder her.

“I think we should tell her we heard someone in the garden, but not tell her who it was,” Kitty said. “So she knows she isn't safe here.”

“But she'll tell Piotr.”

“Then...we'll tell her because so many people are here to visit, we have to be on guard.”

“That may work. What about at night?”

“I'll phase through the wall after everyone's in bed and sleep in front of her door.”

“Come get me first and we'll both sleep in her room.”

The beginnings of a plan were set, and now they pasted neutral expressions on their faces as they went back inside the palace. There were still people milling about in the various public rooms downstairs, but Kitty avoided them. Kurt nodded good night to her and went to join them, hoping to learn more and figure out who the second man in the garden was. As she ascended the steps, he silently cursed those men who had interrupted them, but then wondered if it wasn't for the best after all?

Kitty couldn't wait to get the fancy dress off. It was dirty now, at the knees, and only made her think of terrible things. Piotr was the one who wanted Illyana dead? She couldn't process it. Why? Why would he want her dead? He professed to love her dearly.

Then again, he had never come for her when she was sent to live with aunts who were relatives through love not blood, had rarely visited, and had hired mercenaries he didn't know to escort her across the country. He insisted she had to appear in public when he renounced his throne, knowing it would endanger her. Was he planning to have her killed during the ceremony? Kitty chewed her lip as she pulled off the dress and looked for a place to leave it. She finally draped it over a chair near the door. She found a nightgown laid out on the bed for her, and after washing her face (it felt so good to be clean again) and brushing her teeth and hair, she put it on.

She poked her head through the far wall, the one shared with Illyana's room. The walls were thick and she had to phase completely into it before she could peek out the other side. She stepped into the room when she saw Illyana at her dressing table.

“Illyana?”

She jumped and spun around in surprise.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were taking a few days off?”

“No, I, uh, I can't sleep if I don't keep an eye on you. I have a bad feeling and I hoped it would be all right if I slept by the door tonight.”

Illyana smiled and tipped her head in understanding and appreciation. “You're the best bodyguard. Sure. If it makes you feel better. But I'm perfectly safe here. Piotr would never let anything happen to me while he's here.”

Kitty wanted to cry. It was going to kill her to learn what her brother was planning.

“Thanks,” she said as Illyana went back to the table. Kitty wandered over to a chair and sat, surprised at how upset she was over the situation. She'd dealt with plenty of evil-hearted people, full of hate and jealousy and fear. Whatever drove them to hurt others, Kitty didn't think she'd ever understand. Even in her business, she let her reputation become what it was not, because it inspired fear and respect, but she didn't kill people.

  
  


Downstairs, Kurt mingled with the Important People Piotr had invited to dinner. Inside he rolled his eyes at their pompous airs. How did any person think he or she was better than another when inside they were all the same? He acted impressed and praised their accomplishments, and wished he had someone genuine to talk to. Like Kitty. No matter, he had Piotr to watch. Most people couldn't tell where he was looking, which made them feel uncomfortable when they spoke to him. They usually wound up looking away, over his shoulder, or at their hands. Or simply ending the conversation. Kitty was one of the rare people he'd ever met who'd held his gaze for more than a second. He shook his thoughts free of her for the hundredth time. _Focus on the task at hand_ , he chanted to himself.

Piotr approached him with a glass of something dark in one hand. He clapped Kurt roughly on the shoulder. Now he couldn't help but speculate about every move Piotr made. Was he trying to remind Kurt that he was strong?

“How is my sister's bodyguard tonight? Did you enjoy the meal?”

“ _Ja_ , very much, _danke_.”

“Where is your partner?”

“She went to bed. She was tired from all the travel.”

“Ah, women, so weak even when they wish to be strong.” He laughed as if it was hilarious. Kurt chuckled to appease him, but he wished he could elbow him in the gut. “Illyana has gone to bed as well. Tomorrow will be another busy day. I will announce to the world that Nereel and I are to be married.”

“Have you set a date?” Kurt asked, trying nonchalantly to put some distance between them.

“The very next day,” Piotr said with a grin Kurt felt was more ominous than happy. Would he kill his new wife as well?

“That is fast,” Kurt said.

“No, not really. We have waited a long time, waited for Illyana to be here to witness the ceremony.” His smile faltered only a little. Only someone who was watching would see it. “Now at last we will be united, and in so doing, we will unite our countries. With Illyana on the throne in Russia, and myself and Nereel in the Savage Land, we will become a powerhouse. Of peace,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

“Excellent,” Kurt said, and tipped his glass back to drain it. “The wine is excellent as well, but I believe it's gone to my head a bit. I must make my excuses and get some sleep.”

“Good night, Kurt, and thank you once again for delivering my sister safely to me.”

Kurt barely suppressed a shudder of revulsion.

In his room, he paced before pulling his suit off piece by piece. He left it scattered on the floor, a trail of suit pieces from door to bathroom. He stood in his underwear to brush his teeth

There was a noise from the bedroom and he ran out, mouth full of toothpaste, wishing he had his swords on him. They were across the room. Careless, he scolded himself.

Kitty was holding the jacket of his suit, and her face was red.

“Sorry!” she backed up. “You said to get you, and I did.”

He shrugged, went back to rinse his mouth, and pulled on a robe. She had picked up all the parts of his suit and dumped them on a chair.

“Illyana's going to bed.”

“I'll change and come with you. Did you talk to her?”

“Yes. She has no idea. I told her I couldn't sleep if I didn't watch out for her, and I had a bad feeling. She didn't even question it.”

He walked past her and picked up the pajama top and pants that had been left on his bed, then, with his back to her, pulled the pants on under the robe. Kitty kept her back to him, but the mirror across the room gave her a perfect view as he discarded the robe and pulled on the shirt.

“What did you tell her about me?” he said.

“That you'd be jealous if we left you out.”

“You are so kind,” he teased. “I'm ready.”

Kitty took his hand and they passed through the wall like ghosts. Illyana was in bed and the room was dark, but she was awake.

“Hi,” she said when they came through the wall. “Are you really sure you want to sleep on the floor? I'm sure I'm safe here.”

“The bed is way too soft for me,” Kurt said.

“I'd be lonely,” Kitty said.

Illyana giggled. “You are both liars, but okay. Have it your way.” She put her head down. “Just don't sing this time.” A second later, “I'm kidding. It was nice.”

“Good night, Illyana,” Kitty said as she stretched out on a blanket with a pillow. She pressed her back against the door and prayed nothing happened in the night.

Kurt lay down beside her on his own blanket, propping his chin on his hands. His eyes glowed a little in the dark, and she was caught in them like a moth. He scooted close to her, and she couldn't back away without phasing into the hallway. She didn't want to.

His voice was a barely audible whisper. “We didn't get to talk much, in the garden.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Here we are now.” He craned his neck behind him to look at Illyana. “I think she's already asleep.”

“She falls asleep fast.”

“Fear will do that.”

“For some people. It never did with me. Keeps me awake.” She rolled to her back, and the pounding of her heart seemed to intensify.

“Did you know Irene very well?” Kurt said, guessing at what had upset her.

“Not really. We met once briefly, but I didn't really know her.”

He was perplexed. He'd been so sure that was the cause of her distress, the thought that Irene might be dead. He didn't know what to say next, so he waited to see if she'd tell him more on her own. She rolled towards the door. With a small sigh, he rolled over, too, forced to accept the conversation was over.

His eyes were drifting shut when she said one word. “Lockheed.”

“Your horse?”

He felt the motion of her head nodding as he rolled over again. She was still facing the door, and her arm was over her face. “He was everything I had.”

It made sense then, every mention of Illyana's aunts had brought up the loss of the three horses, and he felt like a dunce for not making the connection sooner. His heart went out to her. She made a noise like crying into a pillow, and tentatively put his hand on her shoulder.

“It's stupid,” she mumbled into the pillow around choked back sobs.

Kurt leaned closer to whisper into her ear. “No it isn't. I'm so sorry, Kätzchen.” She put her hand over his and patted.

He wanted to pull her next to him and wrap his arms around her. He wanted to protect her from this pain, and he couldn't. When her hand went limp and dropped down, he rolled away from her. She didn't want his protection, not from this or anything else. She didn't want him at all.

  
  


Nothing happened in the night, and when Kitty woke up, Kurt was already gone, along with his blanket and pillow. Illyana was still sleeping, but thin streams of light were brightening the room through cracks in the curtains. Kitty went through the wall to her room and pulled on the shirt and pants she had wanted to wear yesterday. They were functional and basic, just the way she liked them. She tested the fit and stretch and decided they'd do just fine. Nan had done well fitting her. Kitty guessed it was part of her job.

She went directly back to Illyana's room and sat in a plush velvet chair to wait for her to wake up.

Kurt met them both in the hall an hour later and they went down to breakfast together. Some of the same crowd from the night before were already seated, others were straggling in as the were. Piotr thundered in, a wide smile on his face. Illyana hugged him happily, and he called her Snowflake and acted like he cared about her. It made Kitty sick.

“The crowd has already begun to gather in the square to hear my announcement,” he said, beaming with pride, as if he'd done something marvelous. “I will wait for the rest of our guests.” Nereel stood at his side, silent and smiling, and Kitty realized the woman hadn't said a single word since they'd arrived. Perhaps that was what Piotr liked about her.

“We will gather on the main balcony shortly,” Piotr said, and he took a seat at the table to eat. Illyana sat beside him, Nereel on his other side, and he ate while Illyana chatted. Nereel was quiet as always.

Kurt had put his swords back on, Kitty noticed, and done away with the outfit she'd teased him over. She inclined her head toward his at the table and touched his arm. “I like this,” she said, indicating the shirt and loose pants. “It looks good.”

“You look good too,” he said. “But you would be beautiful in a sack.”

Piotr got up and raised his arms wide. “Let us adjourn to the balcony!”

Kitty and Kurt struggled to push through the crowd, to stay close to Illyana. Too many people crowded them, ignoring them. They weren't important, mere common folk, mercenaries, hired for a job for which they were no longer needed. Kitty phased and pulled Kurt behind her, moving through the people who refused to let them pass. On the balcony, they crouched at Illyana's feet and scanned the crowd below and the rooftops nearby.

“There,” Kurt whispered to Kitty, flicking his eyes in the direction of the single archer he'd spotted. She pressed her forehead against his to see past the balcony bars. He was shocked. She could tell where he was looking? He would have to ask her how, but later. He noticed Kitty's hand sneak out and touch Illyana's foot, the other gripping his arm.

Piotr waved his hands at the people and shouted down to them, announcing his engagement to Princess Nereel of the Savage Land. He motioned her closer to him, and she stepped forward, smiling and waving. Piotr spoke a little longer, and as he was declaring they would be married the following day at noon, an arrow lodged itself in the shoulder of the dignitary standing behind Illyana.

She screamed and tried to move, but Kitty held fast to her ankle. She dropped down beside them as Kurt took off over the rooftops. Illyana's eyes were wide and watery, but she pulled herself together.

“Piotr!” she cried, “That man—”

“I saw it Snowflake. Fortunately, your bodyguards have protected you. And Lord Lensherr will live. It is only a flesh wound.”

Piotr barked orders to his servants and the soldiers nearby. “I want increased protection tomorrow. I won't have my sister harmed on my wedding day!”

“Come on, Illyana. Let's get inside.” The crowd on the balcony had dispersed, allowing palace medics to treat Lord Lensherr. “Kurt's gone to find him.”


	8. A Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kitty has to make a difficult decision, which turns out not to be so difficult after all.

Kitty paced Illyana's chamber restlessly, pretending to listen as Illyana talked. Kurt hadn't returned yet, and she was growing concerned. Illyana stopped talking when Kitty started phasing through the wall to look in Kurt's room for him, then back to Illyana's. Over and over as minutes became an hour, became two hours.

She couldn't go look for him. She couldn't leave Illyana.

“Will he be back soon?” Illyana asked when Kitty paused in her room to sit.

“I don't know,” she said. “He could be dead.”

Illyana covered her mouth. Kitty got up and paced again.

“My brother can send people to find him,” Illyana said. She started for the door, and Kitty stopped her.

“I don't know if you should go out,” she said.

“Why not? I'm inside the palace now. I'm safe again.”

Kitty cursed Piotr silently, and followed Illyana out. Piotr was in the library with one of his men, talking about some politics when Illyana came in.

“Nightcrawler hasn't returned, Piotr. Can't you send someone to find him?”

“I'm sure he's all right, Snowflake. He was chasing the assassin. Most likely, he's following him or has found and killed him.”

“But—”

Kitty interrupted her. “Illyana, your brother is right. I'm sure he's fine.” She tugged at Illyana's hand and went out into the hall. Even the halls in the palace were huge.

“You should go look for him, Kitty,” Illyana said, pulling Kitty to a stop.

“No. Out of the question.”

“But I'm safe here. You don't have to stay with me.”

“I—I don't feel comfortable leaving you right now.”

“You're being silly. The bad part is over. Now that I'm with Piotr, as long as I stay inside, I'm safe. He has guards everywhere.”

“I'll give him a little longer,” Kitty said, hoping to put Illyana off a while. “Maybe I'll look later.”

They moved slowly down the hall, no destination in mind. Kitty simply followed beside Illyana.

Most likely Piotr planned to have Illyana killed during the ceremony, publicly, so he could claim no knowledge. She still didn't know why he wanted her dead, but after today's incident, she was fairly certain about this part of his plan. She wished the men in the garden had said more. Another part of her wished they'd never shown up at all.

Her breath hitched unexpectedly, and she covered it with a cough. “I'm going to check his room again,” she said to Illyana. Most likely she was indeed safe, at least for the time being. To trail her in the palace would also make Piotr suspicious and might cause him to change his plans.

Kurt's room was still empty. Maybe Illyana was right. Maybe she could spare a few hours to go look for him. She went to her room, filled her pack with necessities, and headed out the front gates.

  
  


She never would have known an assassination attempt had just taken place mere hours before, by looking at the crowds in the streets. She found the building where the man had hidden, found evidence of his rapid departure, and followed what tracks she could find. There were too many buildings and too much time had passed to expect people nearby to have seen him, and he was again, nondescript, nothing unusual except carrying a bow and arrow. And he could have discarded those.

He _had_ discarded those. Kitty passed a bin of trash, and bulging out of the side was the bow, and several arrows were poking down into the debris. She was heading in the right direction, but there was no sign of Kurt. She turned down another alley, darker and dingier, noting a broken arrow on the ground. She stepped in something wet, and realized it was blood. Her heart pounded, but she remembered her training. Focus. Stay calm. Figure it out. It was the only way she would find him.

She saw faint footprints and followed. The alley opened up on another shopping area, but even before she reached it, the footprints stopped. They weren't Kurt's footprints, so how did they simply stop? She looked around, up, then into the buildings next to her.

The first building was a store, with people shopping. A woman started when Kitty's face poked through the wall. The second building was almost empty. It looked like it was being used as a trash receptacle. Muffled voices rose from the floor, and she dropped to her knees to listen. Then, trying to ignore the trash, she phased through to see what was going on in the basement of the rotting building.

It was dark, and took her eyes a minute to adjust. _Kurt would be able to see_ , she thought. And then, _if he was with me, we wouldn't be here_.

Finally she could see a little of what was there in the flickering of a candle in a single lamp on a table. Two men stood near it talking. There were piles of bows and arrows in another corner, a workbench where arrows were being made, and another table with vials of something. Kitty moved silently on the air, inching closer to the men.

She couldn't make out everything they were saying, but now and then one of them would raise his voice.

“Said to keep everything here!”

“Shh...Yes but....”

“We're no match—”

“That's why....sedated,” said the quieter man.

“If he wakes up, he'll kill us!”

She dropped down from the ceiling, and both men reached for weapons. She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at them. “How do you hit a ghost?” she said, and while they were still shaking their heads, she kicked out the feet of the one whose hand was closest to his weapon.

The other one, the louder man, dove for the table with the arrows, not even bothering with a bow.

“Hit her!” screamed the man she'd knocked the the floor. She kicked him in the knee, and he squealed. The loud man rushed at her, trying to stab her with the arrow. Still intangible, he missed and instead jabbed the tip into his associate.

Who immediately passed out.

“Ah, so you've got poison tipped arrows. Too bad you still can't touch me.” The loud man whirled and lunged for her, still refusing to accept what his senses were telling him.

With a bored sigh, Kitty walked over to the arrows and grabbed one. The loud man was on his feet again, roaring at her, and she simply waited for him to run into the end of the arrow. It lodged in his arm as she allowed it to go solid, and he crumpled to the floor.

“Sure hope it's not deadly,” she said, kicking him for good measure. Now she rapidly searched the room, gathering up the arrows and breaking as many as she could. They'd make more but at least it made her feel better. She smashed the vials with her boot, and as she kicked the shards aside, she heard something.

Man or beast, she wasn't sure. It was quiet, low, a growling or groaning sound from the darkest corner where the light from the lamp didn't reach. She picked up one of the arrows and crept forward slowly. Not until her foot touched something did she realize she was upon the source of the sound. And she couldn't see it.

“Kurt?” Her heart leaped into her throat, and she knew she was lost. All her bluster about love being useless and causing nothing but trouble...it was still true, but she didn't seem to care just then.

She ran for the lamp, yanking it off the wall and nearly extinguishing it in the process. Back to the corner, she dropped to her knees, losing her grip on the lamp as she did. It fell and the light was doused. It was pitch dark now. She was sure this was Kurt, she'd seen a hint of blue before the candle went out. She reached forward until she touched something solid, and phased them both. Then she hauled him up, through the molecules of air, to the trash heap of a room upstairs where there was at least some light.

It was Kurt and he was a mess. There was blood caked on his clothes and his skin, his swords were missing, and one eye was swollen shut. They had to get out of here fast, but she couldn't physically carry him more than a few feet at a time, even through the air she couldn't get all the way back to the palace.

He grunted when she hefted him under the arms and dragged him across the floor to the far wall, laying him on his side while she stuck her head into the street. She spotted a wooden wheelbarrow upside down near some trash and pulled it over to the wall of the building. The wheel was half rotted, and uneven, but it was better than throwing him over her shoulders. With some difficulty she got him into it, making sure his tail was tucked inside so she didn't run over it. She proceeded through the streets, muttering just loudly enough to be heard about “men and their drinking and brawling habits.” No one gave her more than a passing glance.

At the palace gates, she had the guard call for the medics, who took him away. Kitty couldn't go with him, she had to find Illyana and pray nothing had happened while she was gone. Kitty berated herself for leaving her. Although, if she hadn't, Kurt probably would have been killed. That thought made her heart stutter. Illyana was in her room reading when Kitty rushed in.

“I found him,” she said without preamble.

“Oh good! Where is he?”

“The infirmary. He's beat up, he looks bad. If you hadn't convinced me to go after him...”

“But he's supposed to be one of the best,” Illyana said, furrowing her brow. “How could he get caught?”

Kitty shrugged. “The same way anyone does. He got unlucky this time. And they had poison arrows.”

“Poor Nightcrawler.”

“Yeah.”

Kitty wiped her brow and realized her hand was trembling. It was also filthy. “I need a shower,” she said, and without waiting for an answer, she left.

She couldn't make her hands stop shaking. She thought maybe some of the poison had gotten to her, maybe she was sick or hungry. She dressed and asked a servant in the hall to show her the way to the kitchen, but she said she'd have someone bring her a snack instead. Kitty was grateful. Her knees seemed to have turned to jelly.

Back in her room, she didn't make it to a chair, but sank to the floor. What the hell was wrong with her?

Someone brought her a tray of food and set it beside her on the floor when she lied and said she was doing stretching exercises. The thought of getting up was beyond her. Tears leaked out as she considered what a terrible job she was doing holding herself together for Illyana, _guarding_ Illyana. She was supposed to be better than this. She kept her heart so guarded, unwilling to feel anything remotely like caring about someone. Losing Lockheed was proof of why she couldn't do that. Losing Pete before that, well, that had been a blessing in disguise, but at the time, she'd been unable to work for a week.

Kurt was fine. He was here, the medics were helping him. He wasn't dead. She had saved him. Done her job.

No.

That wasn't her job. Her job was Illyana and she had left her behind to go find him, left her _unprotected_ , in a palace where the man Kitty knew wanted her dead was wandering. She choked out a sob because she realized she would do it again.

She pressed her cheek into the plush carpet and forced crackers and fruit into her body. She sat up and drank the juice and ate some more, and when she finished, she felt better. She stood up, stretched for real, and went back to Illyana's room.

“Do you want to go see how he's doing?” she said.

“Yes,” Illyana said, nearly leaping off the bed.

  
  


The infirmary door was locked, but that was not an obstacle. The medics were washing up and talking, surprised to see Kitty and Illyana come in.

“Your highness, what are you doing here?” one asked.

“I came to see my bodyguard.”

“He's there,” the man said, pointing to a cot by the wall. The other man elbowed the first. Kitty noticed.

“How is he?” Illyana said.

“He, uh, he's fine.”

Kitty wrapped a finger around Illyana's and phased them. She didn't like this situation at all. Why was the door locked?

Illyana would have continued arguing with the medics, but Kitty gave a gentle pull. Kurt was indeed on a cot, but while he was alive, he was far from 'fine.' Still unconscious, filthy, covered in dried blood, these medics had not touched him in the hour or more since he'd been brought in.

“You haven't done anything!” Illyana shouted, whirling on them.

“We were told to wait, the—the poison—”

“How do you know he was poisoned?” Kitty said mildly, turning from Kurt's battered body.

The medics bolted for the door, but it was still locked, and Kitty had just enough time to stop them. She phased them into the floor and waited for them to stop flailing. “You really don't want me to let go of you right now. I want answers.”

“We were told he was poisoned and to wait for it to wear off before doing anything,” said the first, the one who'd answered Illyana.

“Who told you that?”

“Our boss.”

The second man groaned.

“Who is?”

“We don't know his name. I swear!” the man yelped when Kitty lowered him further into the floor.

Kitty let the men scramble back onto the floor. “Do you know who I am?”

They shook their heads.

“She's Shadowcat,” Illyana said. “So you better listen.”

“You're both going to leave right now,” Kitty said. “If I see you here in the palace, you won't be able to climb out of the floor next time.”

They nodded vigorously and when she let go, they struggled again with the door and then ran out. Kitty stood up and washed her hands. “Do you know anything about wound care?” she said to Illyana.

“No.”

“Perfect. You're the assistant then.”

  
  


It took an hour to wash off the dirt with soft cloths. Sometimes he jerked if she touched a particularly painful spot. As Kitty worked, she could see that mostly he was covered in small scratches and scrapes, but one on his shoulder was deeper than the others and had bled a lot. She guessed that was from the arrow, and the reason he hadn't teleported to safety. He didn't know they were poisoned.

She poured more water on that cut, then while he was still out, she used rubbing alcohol. If he'd been awake, he probably would have passed out on his own for that, she thought. She worked silently, except to ask Illyana to find things for her. She felt detached and empty. When she'd cleaned him up and treated all the wounds she could find, feeling for broken bones as she did, she pulled the sheet up and waited for him to wake up.

Illyana dragged two chairs over, but Kitty wouldn't sit.

“Why won't he wake up?” Illyana said.

“I don't know. Maybe they dosed him too much.”

“Is he going to die?” Illyana said.

“I don't know,” Kitty said. She felt her throat close around a lump, felt the familiar ache behind her eyes, and fought it. Her shoulders shook, and her face felt swollen, but she would not cry. She refused. If he woke up, she would _not_ be crying.

“Kitty, I'm sorry,” Illyana said behind her, and a strangled sob broke free of Kitty's efforts. Illyana put her hand on Kitty's shoulder, but she crossed her arms and kept her head down. The tears would not be stopped now, and she gave into them, letting them flow over her cheeks and drop onto the edge of the sheet.

Illyana tapped her. “Kitty? You should open your eyes.”

She did, blinking the tears away so she could see. Kurt's good eye was open.

“Oh!” Kitty had never felt so flustered. “Water, he needs water,” Illyana, with a grace Kitty had not expected of her under pressure, brought a cup of cold water over.

Kurt was already trying to sit up, batting Kitty's hands away when she tried to prevent him. He took the cup in shaking hands and drank it all.

“ _Danke_ ,” he said, his voice raspy and catching.

She brought more, all while Kitty stood stupidly at the side of the cot. He drank more and then tested his arms and legs. Then he leaned forward, and Kitty thought he would fall off the cot, but he didn't. It took her whole seconds to realize his mouth was crushed against hers because he was kissing her. By the time she had collected herself to kiss him back, he was sitting up again and she had missed her chance.

Illyana was the first to speak after that. “Kitty saved you,” she said. “I told her to find you. Piotr wouldn't send anyone so she went.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. She found you and brought you back, but these medics lied to us, so we cleaned you up.”

“Oh?” he said again. He reached for the water and drank some more.

“She'll have to tell you the rest herself.”

Kitty was staring at his leg. “The arrows have some kind of poison on them.”

“I noticed.”

She flushed. “Well, I wrecked up the place and smashed some of the poison vials and dragged you back here. There are some people in the town who think you're a drunk now, but...”

Kurt put a hand to his head.

“You should lie down,” Kitty said.

“ _Nein_. I want a shower.” He tried to get up, but when his feet hit the floor, his knees buckled. Kitty and Illyana caught him.

“It's not weakness to rest,” she said.

“At least let me out of this place,” he said, waving his hand around the room.

Kitty put his arm around her shoulder, and Illyana carried his water.

“They took my _verdammt_ swords,” he said as they walked, his legs barely holding him up. “That makes me rather angry.”

“I'm sure we can get more at the armory,” Illyana said.

“Those were a gift.”

Now he'd lost something special, too. She adjusted his arm on her shoulder. “Come on. Rest first, then we'll figure out what to do.”

“ _Nein_ , shower first. I feel disgusting.”

“I did my best.”

“I didn't mean—thank you.”

Piotr was in the hall knocking on Illyana's door when the group came up the stairs. She ran over to him as he regarded them with confusion. Kitty was sure he thought Kurt was dead. Perhaps he'd come to tell her that very thing.

“Look, Piotr, Kitty found him!”

Kitty wanted to keep Illyana from telling Piotr any more, but she was already telling him everything. Kurt pushed stubbornly upright, but he only lasted a few seconds before he leaned heavily on Kitty again.

“Excuse me, Piotr,” Kitty said, hoping she didn't sound too cold, as she passed him.

“Where did you find him?” Piotr said.

“In some abandoned building. Some of the assassins had him knocked out there. The place was full of poisoned arrows. I broke them and destroyed the bottles of poison. Beat up the guys who were there. I'm pretty angry right now though, so I'm gonna take Kurt in here to rest.”

She opened the door and turned to Illyana, thinking of how to get her away from Piotr. “Thanks for all your help, Illyana. I could use some more, unless you're busy.”

“No, I'm not busy. Bye Piotr,” she said and hurried to join Kitty and Kurt. “What can I do?”

“Fill the tub,” Kitty said. “He can't stand long enough for a shower.”

“This isn't necessary. I'll be all right,” Kurt said, trying to rise and managing for a few seconds. “Ugh, you're right.” He mumbled under his breath.

“Water?” Kitty said, holding out the cup.

He took it, drank some more, and handed it back.

“Tub's ready,” Illyana said.

“Are there towels in there?”

She nodded. “And a robe, and soap and everything. It's a _palace_.”

Kitty smirked. “Kurt, are you ready?”

She reached for his arm again, and he managed to get to his feet, across the room, and into the bathroom. “Wait out there, Illyana. You're too young to see this.” She kicked the door shut with her foot, not quite all the way.

“See what? What are you going to do?” Kurt said, pulling away from her.

“Relax. I've seen naked men before.”

“You haven't seen naked me!”

She set him on the wide ledge of the tub and leaned in close, as he'd done to her once before. “And I don't plan to now.” Then she kissed his forehead.

With one good eye, Kurt tried to figure out what she was up to, and decided if she wanted to undress him, he was an idiot to tell her not to. She pulled off his boots and the remnants of his shirt, and made him turn around. “Put your feet in while I've got you.”

She grasped the waistband of his pants and briefs and tapped his back. “In you go,” she said, and he slid himself forward into the tub, while everything else remained in her hands. Then she left.

Hot water, aching body, beautiful woman. The combination was distracting to say the least. She came back with more water and promised food was on the way. When she set the water down, he caught her wrist before she could dash out again.

“You're incredible,” he said.

“No, but I'm all right,” she said and kissed his forehead again.

“Kätzchen.” She sat on the edge of the tub, and he ran his hands up her arms. She realized he wasn't holding her here.

Illyana came to the door with a tray of food. “Where do you want this?”

“Just anywhere, Illyana, thank you,” Kitty said, not taking her eyes off Kurt.

“I'll come back later,” she said, but they weren't listening.

Kitty touched his cheek, turning his face to look at his eye. Her thumb moved across his lips, and she leaned down to kiss him. This was nothing like the kiss in the infirmary, hasty and startling. This was warm and slow, and she felt herself sinking closer to him, one arm braced on the other side of the tub. He cupped his hands around her cheeks, tipping her head as he traced her lips with his tongue.

She moved closer, precariously perched across the tub, bending her neck awkwardly. At the same time, he put his hands on her back and pulled her down. Water went everywhere as she landed in his lap with her feet in the air. She didn't care, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to kiss him more. Everything she'd denied herself came flooding out in that kiss, and everything she'd told herself she believed became foggy and unimportant in that moment.

They kissed until the water turned cold, and Kitty started to shiver. Kurt broke the kiss, dotting her cheeks with little kisses afterwards. “You should get out before you get sick.”

“You should get clean,” she said on another shiver. She struggled to get up, laughing at herself and pretending he was not naked beneath her. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered after the third unsuccessful try. She kicked her boots off and put her feet into the tub and stood up. Water dripped from her clothes for what felt like forever before she stepped out carefully. She grabbed a robe, phased everything to the floor, and wrapped it around herself.

“Be right back. Don't try to get out, you'll fall and hit your head.”

He couldn't have gotten out if had been attacked by a swarm of bees. The kiss, the flash of all that bare skin, the remnants of the poison in his system...he was useless. After a moment, he leaned forward and drained the tub, refilling it with hot water again, and scrubbed at his fur with a cloth.

Kitty returned to stand in the doorway in clean clothes. He could see past her into the bedroom, where Illyana, who apparently found the entire situation both amusing and romantic, was sighing at both of them. Kitty rolled her eyes behind Illyana's back and brought his robe back to the bathroom, setting it near the edge of the tub.

“When you're done, drain the tub, dry off and cover up, and I'll come get you.”

“As you wish.”

She left, and he did as she told him, still feeling slightly giddy inside. In the bedroom, Kitty and Illyana had propped all the pillows on his bed, and brought the tray of food to the bedside table. Kitty helped him into bed and ordered him to sit and rest. He didn't have the energy to do anything but obey her.

She sat near his feet, with Illyana beside her, giggling every time Kitty blushed, which happened every time Kurt looked directly at her.

“Will you be better for the wedding tomorrow?” Illyana asked, finally having grown bored laughing at her bodyguards.

“I expect so.”

“What happened?” Kitty asked. In her rush to save him and clean him and kiss him, she still didn't know how he'd been caught in the first place.

“Ah,” he laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Well, that was my own fault,” he admitted. “I went after the archer, staying on the rooftops as much as possible to follow him. In an alley, I confronted him, expecting him to fire on me with arrows, which is difficult to do from close range. I figured I had him. When he pulled out an arrow, I ignored it, and he knocked me out with it.”

It might have been funny if he hadn't almost died. “Wait, so they beat you up while you were unconscious?” Kitty said, sitting up straighter and clenching her fists.

“No, I woke up and fought them, but I was still groggy. They simply overpowered me.”

“That is the most boring fight story,” Illyana said. “You should make up something else to go with it.”

“My dear Illyana, how do you think the rumors about me started in the first place?”


	9. A Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the wedding has finally arrived. Will Illyana be safe? Will the villain be caught?

Dinner was to be another elaborate affair, which presented Kitty with her first dilemma—go with Illyana or stay with Kurt, who was now another target.

“I think I can make it to dinner, Kätzchen,” he said. “It's mostly sitting, _ja_?”

“You can't even walk across the room, let alone down the stairs and into the dining hall.”

“Let's see.”

He swung his legs off the bed, refused her help, and stood up. He wobbled at first, took a few hesitant steps, and stayed upright.

“See?”

He sat down heavily on the bed with a shrug.

“As long as you don't have to stand for more than ten seconds, you'll be fine,” Kitty said, tapping her foot.

When the gentleman came in with Kurt's freshly pressed suit for dinner, Kitty left. Nan was probably waiting for her, and Illyana was long since gone to her room to dress.

Kitty was impatient for Nan to do her hair, and when at last she declared that Kitty was “presentable,” she thanked Nan and dashed out the door. Kurt was not in the hall, but his door was open. He was waiting in a chair by the door, and after several seconds of admiring her in the frothy burgundy dress, he offered his arm to her.

Then he leaned on her all the way down.

Talk at dinner centered around the wedding and the attack on Illyana's life from earlier. Piotr acted the part of enraged brother well, and if anyone in the room was privy to his secret, they played along, too. Kurt ate so much, Kitty was sure he'd be sick later.

“It's good you were able to join us for dinner, Kurt,” Piotr said. “Illyana's bodyguard went after the bastard who attacked her, and was injured today.”

The guests all murmured the appropriate praise and shock.

“ _Ja_ , I'm glad to be here.”

“And you will be able to attend the wedding tomorrow as well. I'm very pleased,” he said, and Kitty swore his smile was the promise of death.

Kurt didn't join Piotr and his friends in the library after dinner. He was still tired, and he wanted to be fresh for tomorrow. There was sure to be an attack, and he feared Piotr intended to kill him as well, and possibly—probably—also Kitty. They needed to plan. The stairs were daunting, but he made it up with Kitty's help. Eating had improved his energy levels, but he could feel the weariness in his legs by the time he and Kitty got to the top.

Kitty wouldn't leave Illyana with her brother, so as soon as Kurt was settled, she went back down to get her. She was hanging all over Piotr's arm, ecstatic about the wedding, and if he truly didn't care about her, Kitty didn't put anything past him. He might kill her tonight just because she was bothering him.

“Illyana,” Kitty called, “you should be upstairs by now. It's late.”

“I know, but I'm so excited. My big brother's going to be married.” She sighed. “I'm so proud of you, Piotr. You're going to make Nereel so happy, and be such a good ruler.”

Only years of training kept Kitty from gagging audibly. Finally, she dragged Illyana away. “You need to sleep,” she said. “And Piotr needs his rest too, I'm sure.” She smiled as warmly as she could manage when she left with Illyana.

“Are you going to sleep in my room again?”

“Definitely,” Kitty said as she inspected the room. She left Illyana to change, and after doing the same, went to get Kurt. He was asleep at the foot of his bed.

Kitty pulled the covers over him and checked the room, just in case. Then she turned out the light.

In Illyana's room, the floor was cold, and she couldn't help but worry about Kurt in the other room, alone. Would Piotr send someone in the night to kill him in his sleep? Would he wake up if someone went in? He hadn't woken up when Kitty went in. She got up and went to his room, walked it, checked the obvious places again, and tried once more to sleep.

As soon as the sun illuminated the room in the morning, Kitty jerked awake, her head coming fully off the floor. She shot to her feet and ran to Kurt's room. Sound asleep, still breathing, still alive. Her whole body felt like it breathed a sigh of relief as she slumped against the wall.

The wedding day had arrived. Kitty was anxious, but not from excitement.

She wondered what Nan would find for her to wear. She was expected to dress for the ceremony, which meant a dress, which meant it would be harder to move. She considered wearing something under it, but it was so hot, and the wedding was outside. She didn't want to risk passing out either.

She flipped through the dresses Nan had left in the closet, looking for something with movement to it, and finally settled on one she hoped would work. She laid it out and went to check on Kurt again. Still sleeping soundly. Kitty went down to breakfast without him and ate as quickly as decorum would allow. Then she went to the kitchen to request a tray of food.

  
  


Kurt woke up in phases. He was aware that he was awake, but refused to open his eyes. He rolled over, registered that he was in his bed and not on the floor in Illyana's room. He remembered sitting on the bed while he waited for Kitty and Illyana to return from downstairs. He tried to open his eyes and remembered one wasn't working right now. That was a definite hindrance, but he could work around it. He remembered kissing Kitty. Remembered her kissing him back, kissing him until the water was cold, not even complaining that he'd pulled her in. He rolled to his back with a smile at the memory.

He hadn't felt like this about anyone in a long time. Too many broken hearts, too many deceitful women using him or toying with him. He had become like them for a while, not at all invested in anything but a physical release, parting ways the next morning, or even sooner. No heart to break, no strings attached to get tangled in. Now, though, he wanted to get tangled in those strings, he wanted them all over him, and he was willing to risk his heart for it. She said love was a liability, but it didn't matter now. It was already too late for him.

He didn't get up for the knock on the door, and fortunately it was Kitty, because she informed him the door was still locked.

“I brought you breakfast,” she said, setting a tray down. “I practically had to punch out the poor maid who wanted to bring it for me.”

He leaned up on his elbows and blinked his good eye. “ _Danke_. I'm starving.”

“How can you be starving when you ate half the table last night?”

He shrugged with one hand. “Getting beaten up really takes it out of me.” He chuckled, pushing himself upright and stretching out his back. “I did a lot of teleporting yesterday, actually. It uses up a lot of energy.”

Kurt patted the bed. “Sit down, Kätzchen, there's no need to stand.”

“I'm okay,” she said, twisting her hands in front of her.

As a joke, he said, “I'm not going to attack you.”

She blushed immediately, the color seeping down her neck and almost to her ears. His spirits fell. She must feel it was a mistake. Maybe during the night, she thought about it and changed her mind. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, the fear that he was dead, or that she'd be alone for the return trip. Whatever it was, he'd lost his appetite.

He slid off the bed, surprised his legs held him. The bathroom was a refuge from her face, until he saw the tub, cleaned by some mystery servant while they were at dinner. He started to think he'd imagined it all. She was sitting on the edge of the bed when he came out, and she smiled at him. Now he was thoroughly confused. He'd never been good at the guessing game part of relationships.

“Did I imagine that yesterday?” he said, jerking his thumb at the bathroom.

The color rose in her face again, and she laughed. “No.”

“So what's going on this morning? You won't even look at me. Am I that hideous?”

She flicked her eyes up to him. “No, of course not. But it's the wedding day and I don't want to get distracted.”

He sat down beside her and picked up his fork. He was famished. “Whatever you may think of me, I assure you, I am here to do a job, and I will not let any beautiful women distract me, no matter how hard they try.”

“So funny.”

  
  


The palace was in a state of near-chaos, with servants running here and there, and guests calling for things, and more guests arriving. The wedding would take place on the lawn in front of the palace, where there was a rose arch and flower beds lining the walk. Chairs had already been placed on the yard, and the officiant was waiting in one of the studies downstairs, talking to some of the guests.

Nan returned to do Kitty's hair and dress her. She also insisted on doing her makeup, which Kitty tolerated only because she really liked Nan. When that was finally done, she met Kurt in his room to discuss their plan for keep Illyana alive. She noticed him eyeing her, but he said nothing, and kept his distance.

“Illyana's one of Nereel's attendants,” Kitty said. “I asked, but Piotr won't let me stand there with her. I could try phasing under the ground and staying there, but then it would be hard for me to see what's going on.”

Kurt was thoughtful. “I was planning to patrol the perimeter, but I don't know if that will prevent anything. I think you and I should stand as close as we can. I'm not sure there's anything else we can do.”

“I guess. But since Piotr's determined to have her killed, and he knows we'll save her, he probably won't let us get close.”

“But he has to let us near her at least a little, or he'll give away the fact he's trying to get her killed.”

“So that's our plan? Stand as close as we can and cross our fingers?” Kitty didn't think it would work.

“Isn't that what we've been doing this whole time? It's worked out so far.”

  
  


Kitty stationed herself at the end of the first row of seats. The honored guests seemed perturbed, but Kitty ignored them. “I'm Princess Illyana's bodyguard,” she snapped when one man actually tried to tell her to move. “Do you want to explain to Prince Piotr why I'm not at my post?”

The man sat down and no one else said a word to her.

Kurt made a quick scan of the perimeter as he'd originally planned, then stood on the opposite side of the guests. His back was straight, arms folded, tail curled around his leg. He had perfect posture, even though she knew he was still fighting the lingering effects of the poison. Kitty was tense as the attendants walked in, scanning the crowd constantly. An archer could be far away though, and still kill their target. Illyana grinned nervously at Kitty and looked around, too.

Kurt disappeared to prowl the crowd again, searching fruitlessly for an assailant. Up at the altar, the officiant continued the ceremony, which dragged on far longer than Kitty thought anything this formal should last. Kurt returned to his post with a barely noticeable shrug and Kitty returned it with an equally quizzical expression.

At last the ceremony was over. Piotr and Nereel kissed to seal the union, and the officiant presented them to their company. Everyone stood up, cheering and clapping, and Kitty's view of Illyana was obscured. She strained on tiptoes to see through the crowd and tried to move closer.

Illyana came forward to adjust the bride's dress before they walked back down the aisle, and as she stood, the snarky man from the front row leaped forward. Steel glinted in his hand and he drove the knife into Illyana's chest.

It passed harmlessly through her and lodged in Nereel's side. Kurt teleported to Illyana and disappeared with her in a puff of purple smoke, while Kitty took out the attacker.

Piotr roared like a wild beast. Nereel was slowly collapsing as real medics rushed in. Soldiers took the assailant away, and Kitty stood trembling as the medics worked on Nereel. She was breathing, but shallowly, her face pale, and her eyes glassy.

Piotr lifted his head and glared at Kitty. “What did you do?” he snarled.

Kitty, distraught, but holding it together, said, “My job.”

Piotr rose slowly to his feet. “My _wife_ may die because of _you_.”

She clenched her fists. “No, your wife may die because of _you_.”

In that moment, Kitty saw false anger turn to the real thing, unchecked and wild. “You will die for this,” he said, his voice frighteningly cold. Then the anger on his face was replaced by a chilling smile. “But not right now.”

“I know about you, Piotr,” she said. Kitty understood that if Nereel died, it was not her fault, but Piotr's. Still, she felt responsible. If she had phased the man instead of Illyana, no one would be injured at all.

“You know nothing,” he said pleasantly, and followed the medics as they took Nereel into the infirmary. The guests had all gone now, butlers and servants having escorted them inside to the banquet hall for the reception that would become a funeral meal if she died.

Kitty's legs felt heavy as she made her way inside. People were running around the halls, carrying trays of food and escorting guests to the ballroom. Kitty went straight upstairs, trying to figure out a way to take Illyana away, and how exactly to tell her it was her brother who wanted her dead.

Outside Illyana's room, where she assumed Kurt had taken her, she set her face and her spine and pushed all the guilty feelings down. The room was empty, so she tried her own room and found them there. When she walked in, Illyana leaped up from the chair where she'd been sitting.

“Is Nereel okay?”

“I don't know,” Kitty said. “They...they took her to the infirmary.”

“The baby...” Illyana said, and Kitty's blood froze.

“What?”

“The baby,” Illyana repeated. “Nereel is pregnant. Piotr told me in Germany, before you guys came along.”

If Nereel died, or the baby died, or both, it would be her fault. Kitty's whole body felt like pins and needles. Kurt somehow appeared at her side and guided her into a chair. He crouched in front of her and took both of her hands in his.

“It is not your fault,” he said. He waited for her to acknowledge him. Then he said it again. “It is not your fault.”

“I know,” Kitty whispered, watching the way his yellow eyes seemed to swim, like they were made of water that swirled and eddied as they moved. “It's Piotr's. But I still—”

“No it isn't,” Illyana said, and Kitty wanted to sink through the floor. “He didn't know that man was going to try to stab me.”

“Illyana,” Kurt said, not moving, not letting go of Kitty's hands. “We need to talk about your brother.”

Kitty let him tell her. She felt like such a failure, a fool. She'd abandoned her post to go after a man because she—because she cared about him. She'd caused Nereel to be injured by making a bad call, and now she'd given away the secret she and Kurt had been keeping before they had a chance to discuss how to share with Illyana the news.

Kurt laid out the information they had, methodically, scientifically. What they had overheard, what they knew, all the circumstantial evidence as well. Illyana listened without speaking, hands clasped in her lap.

“Why didn't you tell me?” she said when Kurt was finished. He'd turned away from Kitty, but still had one hand in hers.

“Because it was awful,” Kitty whispered when Kurt hesitated. “And we knew it would hurt you.”

“It does hurt. But I can handle it.” She stood up. “I'm not as helpless as everyone thinks.” Illyana seemed to reach into her stomach, and the room illuminated with a strange glow as she held aloft a huge sword.

“What the hell is that?” Kitty said.

“You've had that in your stomach all this time?” Kurt said.

“This is my Soul Sword,” Illyana said. “It is used to wipe out evil. And my brother is evil.”

The door slammed open and Piotr came in, soldiers flanking him. “Ah, Illyana. My little Snowflake. I see you've finally come into your power. What a shame you won't live to use it.”

The room erupted in chaos as the soldiers rushed in, and Kitty and Kurt were kept busy fighting them. Illyana faced her brother alone.

“Why, Piotr?” Illyana said, facing him even as his body turned to living steel.

“Simple. With you gone, I maintain my rights to the throne of Russia. And that means I can unite Russia and the Savage Land under one rule, making us the most powerful nation in the world.”

“You've failed, brother.”

“Actually, I have finally won. Your little bodyguard Shadowcat helped me more than she realizes. If Nereel dies, which I guarantee she will, I will be sole ruler of the Savage Land. And when you die, I will rule both.”

“You think word won't get out of what you did?”

“It won't matter by then.” Piotr strode forward, and Illyana, untrained in fighting, stepped back until she hit the bed. Piotr laughed and reached for her.

Across the room, Kitty screamed Illyana's name. In solid form to fight, she took out the two soldiers beside her and leaped forward. She was a heartbeat too late going intangible, and when the soldier cracked her on the head, she fell.

Kurt, too, desperately fought to free himself from the crush of soldiers keeping him from Illyana. No sooner did one fall, than another rushed in to take his place. Kurt managed to grab a sword from one of the guards, and then teleport to Illyana's side. Piotr had expected something like that, and with a swipe of his arm, Kurt flew across the room, slamming into the wall. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.

“You're all alone now, Snowflake,” Piotr said as one of his soldiers handed him a sword. He meant to kill her himself.

“I'm not your Snowflake any more,” she said, and lunged at him. Her Soul Sword plunged through his chest harmlessly.

Piotr laughed at Illyana's stricken expression, but as she began to withdraw the sword, his laughter turned to shrieks of pain. He dropped the sword with a clatter, and his steel skin turned to flesh. He crumpled to his knees, and his soldiers flocked to his sides.

“Don't touch him,” Illyana commanded. They backed away, terrified. On the ground, Piotr writhed, and Illyana swiped her sword through him again and again until at last, he lay unconscious. She returned the sword to her own body and spoke to the soldiers. “I am the ruler here now. You will carry Piotr to the holding cells, accompanied by me, and then you will resign your posts. If you don't, I will have you tried for treason.”

No one argued. They stepped into the hall, where Nan and Illyana's maid were huddled, wondering what was happening in the Princess's room.

“Take care of my bodyguards,” she said to them. “They've been injured and the medics are needed to care for Nereel.”


	10. A New Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will happen to Illyana now? 
> 
> What will Kurt and Kitty do now that their services are no longer needed? Will they go their separate ways?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's a tiny bit of sex in this chapter, but it's not smut. This story did not want smut and no matter what, it refused it. So I'll write something smutty another day.

When Kitty woke up, her head ached and she was in a bed staring at the ceiling. She tried to sit up, but it made her dizzy. She'd been knocked out before, a couple of times, and recognized the sensation. She turned her head to see where she was. It was her room in the palace. The door opened and Illyana came in with a tray of food. Where was Kurt?

“Yana?” Kitty managed, remembering how Piotr had attacked her, how the guards had kept Kitty from protecting Illyana when her brother came for her. How Illyana had wielded a sword made from her own soul.

“Oh, good, you're awake,” she said, sitting beside her. She kept her voice low and soft. “I wondered how long you'd sleep.”

Kitty tried again to sit up, but Illyana shook her head. “No, don't. You'll wake him up.” She tipped her head and Kitty rolled her head slowly the other way. Kurt was asleep beside her, still in his shirt and suit pants.

“What the hell happened?”

Illyana sat down in a chair beside the bed. “Well,” she began, and Kitty had the sense that it was going to be a long story. “I...I stood up for myself and Piotr...Piotr lost.”

“What happened? Oh, god, did you kill him?”

“No! My Soul Sword doesn't kill people. It strikes at the evil within.” She lowered her head. “Aunt Raven knew I had it. She wanted to teach me how to fight with it, but I refused. I told her I would never draw the Soul Sword, I would never...” Illyana looked at her hands, as if still seeing the sword in them. “I didn't know.”

“So he's alive?”

“Yes. I had him taken to the holding cells, but he escaped. He beat up the guards and ran. One of the watchmen saw him heading to the harbor, so he could be anywhere. But Nereel's father hates him and he's mounting an army to chase him down.”

“Is she okay? The baby?”

“They're okay. Nereel didn't die, and the knife missed the baby. She'll be on bed rest most likely but she's all right.” Illyana wiped a few tears away. “She's heartbroken, though.”

Kitty tried to sit up again, reaching for the water. Illyana handed it to her. “I didn't know she felt that way. I thought it was a political union.”

“It was, but she loved him.”

Beside her, Kurt stirred and rolled over. He groaned and put a hand to his head. Illyana went to his side of the bed and offered him water, too. “Don't try to sit up,” she said, “Either of you. You both got bashed in the head.”

“I can tell,” Kurt said. He reached for Kitty's hand, and clasped it, relieved when she squeezed back.

“How's your head, _liebchen_?”

Kitty rolled to her side to see him and Illyana. “It hurts. Illyana's been filling me in. Does he know?”

“Not yet,” Illyana said, and repeated what she had just finished telling Kitty. By the end of it, both of them had stubbornly sat up, in spite of Illyana's protestations.

“Kurt,” Kitty said, putting a hand on his arm, “I think we made a mistake.”

His face flickered and fell. “ _Was_ —ah, what do you mean?”

“We should have told her about Piotr.”

He dropped his head to her shoulder. “ _Mein Gott_ , I didn't know what you were—yes, yes, we should have told her. I'm sorry, Illyana. We underestimated you.”

“It's okay. I did, too.” She suddenly burst into tears, and Kitty crawled over Kurt's legs, ignoring the pain in her head and his soft complaints, to pull Illyana into a hug. Kurt, too, put an arm around her, patting her back. “I've lost everyone,” she sobbed.

Kitty didn't know what to say. She was right, and there was no way around it. “What about Nereel and the baby?”

“They'll go back to the Savage Land. I'll probably never see them.” She sat up and wiped her eyes. “Will you and Kurt take me to Moscow?”

“Of course,” Kitty said. “That was always part of the deal, to take you home.”

This made her cry again. “I forgot. I'm a job.”

“Not anymore,” Kurt said. “Our contract was with Piotr, and he just nullified it.”

“He did?”

“Breach of contract. He tried to kill our client, therefore his contract is void.” Kurt put his hand on Illyana's shoulder. “But why are we going to Moscow?”

“That's where I have to live now. Piotr isn't fit to rule, so I will.”

“Do you want to go by way of Germany and check on...on things?”

She hung her head. “No. You can go later if you want. I can't bear it.” Illyana noticed the food and pulled the tray over. “You should eat, both of you.”

Illyana was called away for business, leaving them alone together with nothing to do. The danger had passed, for the time being, and they were both recovering from injuries. Kurt twisted around on the bed so he could see Kitty's face.

Before he could say anything, she leaned forward and kissed him. Everything he'd planned to talk to her about went out of his brain when her lips touched his. None of it mattered in that moment, with her fingers sliding into the hair at the nape of his neck and her mouth parted willingly for him. He ran his hand down her arm, firm muscle under smooth skin, back to her shoulder as he kissed her throat. She made soft sounds of pleasure and arched her neck.

Nan's entrance put a halt to things, as she bustled about, ignoring them. She took the empty tray of food and departed as Illyana returned.

Kurt tried a few times to talk to her, but each time he was interrupted or distracted, almost as if she didn't want to talk about it at all. He decided it was best that way after all. She obviously didn't intend to let it go beyond this job, and forcing her to tell him that would only make the rest of the journey awkward and uncomfortable for both of them. And probably Illyana as well. Better, he decided, to keep the peace and enjoy what time they had together.

  
  


Travel arrangements included safety precautions since there was no way to know if Piotr's hired assassins were still working. Word would spread soon, but that didn't mean she would be safe. They would sail on a royal Genoshan ship back around the Horn of Africa to France, where they would take a train across Europe to Moscow. If all went according to the new plans, it would be an easy trip.

The day they departed Genosha, Illyana and Kitty whispered together in the hallways and giggled like girls whenever Kurt caught them talking. He couldn't help but wonder if they were talking about him.

That evening, he caught Kitty before she went into her room for the night. “Kätzchen, what are you and Illyana up to?”

“Secret,” she said, a sly smile on her face. He nibbled at her neck to make her laugh. “Still not telling,” she said when he stopped. “Don't worry, though, it's a good thing.”

He couldn't help but wonder what it could be. Had she decided to go with him to Germany? Was she in love with him?

“When will you tell me?” he said, kissing along her jaw.

“You'll find out in the morning,” she said, before slipping into her room.

  
  


At breakfast the next morning, Illyana stood up and gave a little speech, thanking Genosha for its hospitality, for helping her stay safe, for making an unfortunate experience better. She sounded like real royalty, and Kitty was proud of her.

“I have one last thing to do before I leave today. My brother didn't realize when he hired Shadowcat and Nightcrawler to protect me, that he was hiring two people who would become a lot more than bodyguards to me. I feel honored to call them my friends. Recently, both of them have suffered some injuries and losses, and while I can't do much about most of it, there was one thing I could do. Kitty?”

Kitty retrieved a long box from one of the side tables and brought it to Illyana. “I believe these are yours, Kurt,” Illyana said, holding the box out to him.

He stood up, looking confused, and took it. Inside were the swords he'd lost. Kitty decided the look on his face was worth the trouble she'd gone through to find them. Illyana had paid to get them back, but Kitty had done the legwork of tracking them down.

“ _Mein Gott_ ,” he said at last. “How did you....where...”

“Kitty found them and I made sure they got back to you.”

Kurt touched them lovingly. “My foster brother was very dear to me,” he said. “He gave these to me before he died.” Kurt set the box down at his place. “Illyana, Kitty, I don't have the words to thank you.”

“Perfect,” Illyana said. “Then it means we can board the ship and start the trip to Moscow.”

  
  


They boarded the ship an hour later. The captain waited at the top of the gangplank, and Kitty bit back a sound of surprise. It was Captain Cơi Mạnh from the first ship.

“Welcome aboard. I received a call from one of the Genoshan administrators that a captain was needed for a special voyage, and I accepted,” she said, answering the questions on all of their minds.

“Sorry we had to leave the way we did,” Illyana said.

“It's understandable. I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you at the time.”

Their staterooms were small but elegant. The trip was relaxed and easy, compared to nearly every part of the trip to Genosha had been. There were no attacks and no arrows lodging into things. They had time to talk and read and play some of the games the ship had on board. The trip felt like pure luxury, like a vacation, except for one thing.

Every night, Kurt stood at Kitty's door and kissed her until she couldn't think straight. Then she lay in her bunk and reminded herself why she couldn't ask him to come in. Illyana might not be a job any longer, but Kitty was still working. And until she was truly safe in Moscow, she wouldn't neglect her duties. And what then? Most likely he would leave her. He worked alone, after all, and she had made it perfectly clear what she thought about relationships. He'd have no expectations of her. She accepted that it was a passing fling, a connection based on proximity alone. Strange that it should weigh so heavily in her heart, and the idea of moving on made her breath come short.

After he kissed her good night, Kurt went to his bunk and stared at the ceiling and asked himself what he was doing. Once they reached Moscow, they'd most likely go their separate ways. She worked alone, like he did. She'd even said she didn't like working with a partner because it hindered her, and he hadn't worked with a partner since the circus. He told himself she was no different than any other woman he'd met who wanted him. He was a passing interest, an enigma to be experienced and discarded, and later analyzed with friends. But it didn't feel that way when she talked to him. There were none of the usual signs that she saw him that way.

By the time they caught the train in France, he was thoroughly convinced he was nothing to her but a fling, and he'd simply have to enjoy it while it lasted. The last night before they reached Moscow, Kitty seemed distressed. She'd been fidgety all day, snapping and wandering the train cars alone. When he told her good night, he fully expected her to refuse him a kiss.

But she pulled him to her, and whispered in his ear, “Can we have one night before Moscow?”

He could not have told her no if someone had held a sword to his throat. And while he made love to her, he pushed aside the thought that this was the end, and she had no intention of continuing anything with him once they parted ways in Moscow the next day. He hated the truth of that thought. He would have burned it down if he could have.

She tasted like the sea when he suckled the smooth skin under her breast. She undulated like the waves when brought her to climax. Her hair spilled around her like a tide pool, and he drowned himself in her depths more than once that night. He cradled her in his arms and memorized the way her body fit against him.

And in the morning they dressed and escorted Illyana into the castle in Moscow as if none of it had happened.


	11. A Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Moscow, Illyana has some good news at last, and Kurt and Kitty make a final decision.

Word had spread quickly about Piotr and Nereel and Illyana, and when the carriage rolled into the courtyard, there was a crowd waiting for her. Before she got out, she hugged Kitty and Kurt both and made them promise to visit, knowing they probably never would. They got out first, and scanned the crowd. There were rows of soldiers and servants and staff members waiting for her, and guests as well.

Illyana climbed out and waved from the steps of the carriage. The crowd murmured and began to shift. Kitty reached for Illyana and Kurt reached for his swords. Then Illyana shrieked with joy and ran, very un-princess-like to greet her two aunts. Raven and Irene embraced her while Illyana cried tears of happiness.

“How did you get here?” she asked incredulously. “We thought you were dead!”

“Irene had a vision, and we left,” Raven said. “We've been waiting for you here for a while.”

Irene touched Kitty's hand. “We found something that belongs to you so we brought him with us.”

Kitty's heart stopped for a full second. “Lockheed?”

A familiar neigh made her turn and then she, too, ran. Kurt had seen Shadowcat's range of emotion, from quietly distrustful to guardedly happy, but this was new. This was joy without bounds. He wished he could make her that happy. He wondered how they would convince her to go inside. Illyana waved again to the crowd and everyone followed her into the castle.

A stable hand led Lockheed to a paddock, and Kitty watched him running freely.

“This is a surprise,” Kurt said from beside her. He wanted to touch her and hold her and share in her joy, but all he felt was empty.

“That horse is like a damn cat. I swear he's got nine lives.”

“Are you going to come inside?”

“Yes. It would be rude not to.”

  
  


The dining hall had been prepared with a welcome feast. Illyana looked like she belonged there, at the head of the long table, greeting everyone and smiling. She had her aunts beside her, and she seemed happy. She waved Kitty and Kurt over and seated them on her other side.

Kitty didn't know what to say to him now. She'd said her good-bye last night, so why was she so discontent? She'd played a part often enough to do it well, but this felt like a farce. She was miserable, and she didn't want to pretend otherwise. She picked at her food while he ate beside her, and neither of them finished what was on their plates.

“You aren't hungry?” she said, noticing how much he'd left.

“No appetite,” he said, in a clipped voice.

Something just under Kitty's ribs felt hot and uncomfortable, the welling up of dread or the inevitable.

Illyana asked Kurt a question Kitty didn't hear.

“I don't know yet,” he said. “I haven't decided.”

“What about you, Kitty?” Illyana said.

“I didn't hear your question,” she said, hoping she didn't look too awful on what was supposed to be a happy occasion.

“What are you going to do now?”

“Oh. I don't know.” She swallowed around a sudden lump. “Go home, I guess.”

Kurt stood up abruptly. “Begging your pardon, Illyana, I need some fresh air.” He left them in a cloud of purple smoke wondering what was going on.

“Poor Kurt,” Illyana said.

“What's wrong with him?” Raven asked, leaning closer.

Illyana tipped her head at Kitty, and Raven looked over. “Can't you tell?” she said to her aunt.

“Oh. I suppose so, now that you mention it.”

Kitty's heart ached. She thought she had everything worked out in her head—no love, because it only led to mistakes and pain. She hadn't meant to fall in love with him. She hadn't expected to need him like this.

“Excuse me, Illyana,” Kitty said quietly as she rose.

Illyana didn't seem at all upset as she waved to Kitty when she scurried out.

Kitty found the main door and shoved it open, heedless of how it banged. It was bitter cold outside, and she'd left her coat in her haste, but she had to find him. She had to be sure, before she made a terrible mistake. She didn't see him anywhere in the courtyard, and her heart fluttered in panic that he might already be gone. Like every other man who left when things got difficult. She bit back tears as she went down the stone steps and into the center of the courtyard. She spun slowly, looking for his familiar blue coloring before she remembered he'd be in a coat and probably a hat. She spotted him at last, standing beside the paddock fence, petting Lockheed.

“If you steal my horse,” she said, trying her best to sound playful, “I'll come after you.”

Without turning around, he said, “That was exactly my thought.”

Kitty leaned on the railing next to him. “I don't want to leave here and never see you again.”

He kept his face carefully neutral, but she could see the way he gripped the top of the railing. “You said love was a liability. That you make mistakes.”

“It's true. You _are_ a liability, and loving you _did_ cause me to make mistakes. But you were right, too. It's worth it.” She put a cold hand on his and her heart sounded like a drum. “You're worth it.”

He stood up slowly away from the rail and pulled her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her while she buried her face and hands in his coat, shivering. “I love you,” he said, kissing the top of her head. He opened his coat and wrapped it around her. “And I was dreading the thought of watching you ride away on this cat-horse.”

Kitty laughed and tipped her face up to kiss him. “How do you feel about another bodyguard job?” she said.

“Does Illyana want us to stay on longer?”

“No. I was looking for myself.”

“Oh,” he said, running his hands down her sides. “I think I can handle that.” He pulled her close and kissed her again.

Maybe working with a partner wouldn't be so bad after all.


End file.
